Bad Behaviour
by Seynee
Summary: In which Sasuke tries to be a casanova, and Sakura is just Sakura. What's your excuse for bad behaviour? — Sasuke, Sakura. AU.
1. i

**notes:** ohai, it's been a while! I previously took this story off-site because it was plagiarised a couple of times and I got a little bit overprotective, but please bear with me as I re-upload the slightly edited chapters of _Bad Behaviour_. 'Slightly edited' because I want to keep my chapters as closely as possible to their original ones save for grammar and punctuation problems. This is in **no way** reflective of my current writing abilities—or the lack thereof, haha.

Here's hoping that this story's more consistent now! I'm afraid there's nothing I can do about the difference in writing style at the beginning and the end, but it should be progressive enough that it doesn't bother you too much. Thank you, and do enjoy. :)

* * *

**BAD BEHAVIOUR**

_I know I misbehaved and you made your mistakes  
__And we both still got room left to grow  
__And though love sometimes hurts, I still put you first  
__And we'll make this thing work__  
_

(—_Ordinary People_, John Legend)

.

.

.

**one.**

Uchiha Sasuke didn't do parties.

The whys were clear as day, really. He just didn't understand why no one else agreed with him. No matter what event was being celebrated, parties were loud, annoying, messy, dirty, noisy, disturbing, useless, and every other adjective to that effect that could contribute to his list.

Being the CEO of the Uchiha Corporation and one of the most successful young men in Japan (he was featured on the front page of _Tokyo Daily _once), it was a given that he was invited to a lot of parties. Weddings, birthdays, anniversaries, product launches… every kind of party imaginable, he'd attended just for the sake of making connections—something, he'd admit grudgingly, that was essential in the business scene.

He loved his company a whole lot, but he sure as hell wouldn't mind giving up this bit.

So it was only reasonable that he was in a rather unforgiving mood when Naruto came into his office earlier at eight o'clock to drag him away to a launch party. He'd been planning to go home at nine, take a bath, and then read a book or get some sleep. He certainly preferred _that_ more than having to stand in this noisy, crowded ballroom with a fake smile on his lips.

A tall, gorgeous woman in her forties, dressed in gold from top to toe, passed by and sent him a flirtatious smile.

_God_, Sasuke thought, suppressing a shudder. Even working on some paperwork in his office would be better than this.

"Don't look so grumpy, Sasuke!" An arm circled around his neck. "You're scaring all the beautiful girls away!" It was Naruto, of course, holding a glass of champagne and grinning so widely it must have hurt his cheeks. "You see, the reason why I asked you to come with me is so that you can relax and have fun!"

"The reason you dragged me here, you mean," Sasuke corrected. "I certainly don't remember ever _agreeing_."

"Oh, you pain me!" Naruto clutched his chest dramatically. "Smile, silly, smile! Let the world know you're not as intimidating as you set yourself out to be. You know that's how they portray you in the media."

"Really."

"Yeah," Naruto nodded. "Now here, go get some champagne and then dance or something. You spent years learning how to waltz and it's all useless knowledge if you don't use them, correct?"

"It's not like I spent those years _willingly_," Sasuke responded defensively. "I was left with no choice."

And it was true. Dance classes, music classes, tea ceremony classes, extra lessons on various things—being the Uchiha heir had its advantages, but in Naruto's opinion, it was more trouble than it was worth. What did _tea ceremonies_ have to do with business, anyway?

Grinning, he patted Sasuke's shoulder sympathetically. "That's why you have to make use of them," he said, gesturing towards the bar. "You see that woman over there?"

Sasuke automatically craned his neck and followed the direction of Naruto's gesture. There was a woman sitting at the bar, nursing a cocktail glass in her hand. The gown she was wearing had an almost indecently low back and her long hair, cascading over her shoulders in gentle waves, was coloured pink. _Pink! _Sasuke thought with bewilderment. He'd never seen such a hair colour before, and certainly not at high-class parties like this where everyone pretended their asses off to be prim and proper.

"Go ask her to dance with you," Naruto urged. "She looks pretty."

"Her hair is pink." Sasuke couldn't help but to state the obvious.

"All the more reason to go after her, don't you think? You always said you wanted someone one-of-a-kind, and well, _she_'s one of a kind."

"I don't even know her!"

Naruto laughed. "So get to know her! Go have fun!"

Sasuke narrowed his eyes at his best friend. "Why are you so _persistent_?" he asked suspiciously. "Did you do something wrong? Screwed up on a business deal? Lost an important customer?"

"How could you!" To his credit, Naruto dropped his jaw, looking hurt for a few seconds before the expression completely disappeared, only to be replaced with another mischievous grin. "It's because you should have fun, idiot! Because you haven't had a girlfriend in forever and you're overworking yourself. It's unhealthy! I'm just trying to protect you from unnecessary sicknesses—_ow_!" he stopped when Sasuke suddenly whacked his head. "What did you do that for?"

"Whose fault is it that I'm overworking myself?" Sasuke glared. "Who never does what he's supposed to do?"

At this, Naruto grinned sheepishly. "I give up," he raised his hands. "How about this, then: I'll start doing whatever I'm supposed to do if you would just go ask one girl—_one_ girl, any girl—to dance with you?"

His glare intensifying, Sasuke crossed his arms. "You _are_ supposed to do what's assigned to you. I'm not buying it." He paused thoughtfully for a few seconds. It was not every day that he made a deal with Naruto, and he better milk it for all it was worth. "You know what? I'll do as you say if you accept my conditions."

Naruto's eager face dropped. "What are they?"

"One, you're not allowed to call me above eleven anymore," Sasuke began, ticking it off his fingers one by one. "Two, no more calling me at _any time_ just to blackmail me into getting you some ramen. Three, you're to be my official representative for parties such as this. Four, no more _forcing_ me to do anything like this ever again."

Naruto growled at him. "That's really cheap of you," he grumbled scathingly. "Who do you think I'm doing this for? All you! This is one-sided! You don't play fair!"

"I never said I would," Sasuke said, smirking triumphantly. "Do we have a deal?"

Naruto's blue eyes flashed. "Only if you can get her number _and_ home address."

Sasuke's smirk widened. That would be easy. "Deal."

They shook hands.

xx

Haruno Sakura loved parties.

She loved them because they were lively. She loved them because they ordinarily celebrated a happy occasion. She loved them because there were music and dancing, and more than anything, she had always enjoyed music and dancing.

This party was definitely not the kind of party she wished to attend, though. Quite far from it, in fact.

Sitting down a few feet away from her was Matsuri Sagi, CEO of one of the top companies in Japan and the host of the party. He was flirting heavily—and shamelessly—with a woman around her age, and witnessing the scene was a total turn-off. Taking a deep breath, Sakura turned her attention to the bartender, about to request for another drink when suddenly, someone dropped into the empty seat next to hers.

"Alone?"

Sakura smiled forcibly, knowing already the kind of things that question might lead to. Daring herself to look up, she was forced to be face-to-face with a man. "Not really," she replied coldly.

"Not really?" the man repeated, a warm, inviting smile tugging on his lips. He was handsome, probably in his late thirties, and he was definitely the type who would never take no for an answer. "What does that mean?"

"It means that yes, I'm alone," Sakura returned the smile with a polite smile, "but I have quite a lot of things on my plate tonight." She grabbed her purse and stood up, but he caught her arm in a firm grip.

"Is that so?" His smile turned into a sneer. "Well, that's really too bad. I wouldn't mind some company, myself. It's a lonely night, after all—"

She tried to pry his fingers off to no avail. "Please let go."

Any trace of friendliness disappeared completely from his handsome face. "Quit playing hard-to-get, sweetheart," he coaxed, his grip tightening, "You and I both know that we want it. So why don't we go somewhere we can be alone, huh? Say, we book a room and stay the night? My name is Hiro, by the way."

Sakura almost wanted to laugh. This was turning into a seriously crappy night. "Please let go," she repeated. "I can't guarantee that you'll be in perfect condition if you don't—"

"Oh, is that a threat?" Hiro laughed, his voice shrill and the gleam in his eyes wicked, "I _like_ that, lady. You seem to have a fiery temper, and I've always wanted to—" he stopped laughing suddenly when he saw someone appearing behind Sakura. "Oh—"

A hand gently touched her shoulder and Sakura turned around, suddenly face-to-face with a tall man with ink-black hair and dark eyes. "Excuse me," he said, offering a polite, warm smile, his speech smooth as he glanced at Hiro, "What business do you have with my friend?"

"She's your friend?" Hiro looked surprised. He then turned to Sakura, his gaze accusing, "You said you were alone!"

"I—"

Her saviour turned to face her. "Do you know this man?"

"No," she answered, shaking her head.

Growling in frustration, Hiro stood up and left, disappearing into the crowd. As soon as he was completely out of view, the second man let go of Sakura's shoulder and started to leave.

Reflexively, Sakura reached out and grabbed his arm. "Wait!"

He turned around again, facing her. "Yes?"

"I…" Sakura paused. His face looked familiar, and she was almost sure she'd seen him somewhere—on the cover of some magazine, most likely, since almost everybody here was a big shot of one kind or another—but she couldn't seem to recall his name. "Um, thank you."

"You're welcome," he said. He stared at her hand on his arm and opened his mouth, though no words came out.

"Oh! I'm so sorry," Sakura blushed quickly and withdrew her hand as if she'd touched fire. "Can I buy you a drink? I mean, as a thank you?"

"No," he said, carefully studying her face. "I appreciate the offer, but you can return the favour to me some other way, if you want to."

Relief flooded her. "Of course!"

"Can I drive you home tonight?"

Sakura opened her mouth, surprised. The question was completely out of the blue, and agreeing would be foolish. No—more than foolish. He was a stranger, for goodness' sake. He might have helped her, but he might just as well be lying right now, but… but he helped her.

"Now?" Sakura asked, staring at his face once more, trying to see if there was anything beneath his calm demeanour. _Well, you don't actually have transport home tonight_, she argued to herself. _And he really doesn't look like he's lying_.

Sensing her confusion, he sighed. "Listen. I hate this party, and I need a reason to get out of here. You don't seem to be enjoying yourself a lot, either, so I thought—" he ran a hand over his hair. "Just think of it as returning the favour, if you wish."

"Sure," she answered finally. "Sure, I'd love to, um—?"

"Uchiha Sasuke," he told her, and then there it was: the faintest hint of a smile tugging on the corners of his lips. "I'll get the car."

.

.

.

**tbc.**

* * *

**notes:** Thanks for reading. :)


	2. ii

**notes:** The story's previously been taken off-site because of plagiarism, but please bear with me as I re-upload the slightly edited chapters of _Bad Behaviour_. 'Slightly edited' because I want to keep my chapters as closely as possible to their original ones save for grammar and punctuation problems. This is in **no way** reflective of my current writing abilities—or the lack thereof, haha.

Here's hoping that this story's more consistent now! I'm afraid there's nothing I can do about the difference in writing style at the beginning and the end, but it should be progressive enough that it doesn't bother you too much. Thank you, and do enjoy. :)

* * *

**two.**

.

.

.

Sakura knew there were two kinds of rich.

There was rich, and then there was _rich_.

This man was _rich._

It was pretty easy to tell. After all, there was something different between people who only acted like they had lots of money and people were, in all honesty, that rich. How genuinely rich people usually wore something new, for example, for whatever occasion—or how they always, always managed to look _dignified_ no matter where they were. She hadn't quite seen it in Uchiha Sasuke back then in the ballroom, but now that they were alone in his car, she could sort of feel that aura radiating from him.

"So where do you live?" Sasuke asked, breaking the silence. He was leaning on his seat, his right hand on the steering wheel as he glanced at her.

"I live at, uh, Koenji Apartments," Sakura answered, feeling slightly uncomfortable. "You know, that apartment near the Uchiha Corpo—near your office?"

A smirk curled Sasuke's lips. So she _did_ know who he was. Was that the reason why she accepted his offer so easily? Because she knew he was Uchiha Sasuke and she wanted to be on the cover on some cheap gossip magazine? Most women he met were exactly like that, and they weren't ashamed of it, too. A little bit of temporary fame was all it took to make them happy. Women were just so damn easy.

"I know the place," he assured her.

He also knew how expensive it was, and how people who led ordinary lives and had ordinary incomes would normally find trouble paying for it—unless, of course, she was somebody's daughter. She certainly didn't seem like it. Sure, she was dressed really well, but she didn't have the kind of primness and snobbiness daughters of the rich usually possessed.

He glanced at her reflection on the rear view mirror. "What's your name?"

She looked surprised, but then she smiled. "Sakura. Haruno Sakura."

_Haruno, huh?_ He didn't know anyone named Haruno. "What do you do?"

"I…" she hesitated.

"It was just a question," Sasuke said indifferently. "You don't have to answer if you don't want to."

"I'm an A&R executive," she answered finally. "I work for Hourglass. I'm sure you don't know it—we're not a very big production company, but I really like it there." She turned to look at him. "How about you?"

Sakura slowed the car, stopping for a red light just in time, and graced her with an odd look.

"I know you own the Uchiha Corporation," she elaborated quickly. "But do you, well, enjoy your job?"

The question was way, _way_ overused. Then again, she was some kind of a talent manager. She must have had her fair share of interviewing people. "Of course I do," he said, supplying her with a stock answer. Swiftly, he changed the subject. "An A&R Executive? That's convenient. I have a friend who's thinking of pursuing a career in entertainment."

"What's he thinking of doing?" she asked, sounding genuinely interested.

"He's not sure yet," Sasuke replied. He was lying through his teeth, of course, but he was a good liar and little white lies like this never hurt anyone. "He's quite the talented one, though he has… ah, always been confused."

"That's not a problem!" Sakura exclaimed with enthusiasm. "A lot of people are usually confused with where they should start and they end up doing really good. In fact, I can just—" she reached for her purse and produced a business card, "—leave this here, for your friend. He can call me whenever he's ready. What's his name?"

"Uzumaki Naruto," he answered immediately, saying the one name that appeared in his mind.

She frowned slightly. "I'm sure I've heard it somewhere…"

"Unlikely," he shook his head calmly, though she probably _had _heard it somewhere. Naruto had been mentioned in two or a thousand media as his second-in-command, but she wasn't to know that. Not until he drove away from her apartment tonight with no strings attached, anyway.

"Uzumaki Naruto," she repeated, but then shook her head. "I can't seem to remember anything about him. He sounds like a funny guy, though."

He smirked. "You think?"

"Sure," she nodded. "Names reflect who you are, after all. Sometimes you can tell what kind of a person someone is just by their name."

Now _that_ was interesting. "Really, now?"

"Oh, absolutely!" Sakura grinned. "You, for example. I think you're a very nice person."

"Me? _Nice_?" Sasuke was taken aback at once. No one had ever called him nice before—he sure as hell was _nothing_ close to nice. And for her to get it from his name… how on earth would you come up with _nice_ from _Uchiha Sasuke_? "I'm a businessman."

"I know," she said, sounding amused. "I also know that business is a harsh world. But who you are as a businessman has nothing to do with who you are as a person."

He opened his mouth, about to contradict her, but shut it again. What was the point of wasting words on someone he'd never meet again? Instead he kept quiet and focused his eyes on the road.

Finally, they arrived in front of her apartment. She opened the door and climbed out of the car as soon as he unlocked the doors. It was almost as if she couldn't wait to get out of the car. He scrunched his nose in distaste at the idle thought and then quickly ushered it.

"Thank you for driving me home," Sakura said, giving a friendly smile. "I really appreciate it."

"No problem."

"I, uh—it's eleven and you probably should get going already, but… would you like to have a drink?" she stared at him, wide-eyed, "I really feel like I should thank you."

Sasuke hesitated. His manners told him to at least _pretend_ to accept the offer, but god, it was _eleven_ and he could really use a warm shower and a good night sleep now. "You got me out of the party," he replied carefully. "That's more than enough."

"I completely understand!" she replied quickly—too quickly—and smiled, and… wait, was that _relief_ on her face? Why would she be relieved? _How _could she? She should be disappointed, darn it. He wasn't one of the most wanted bachelors for nothing!

A little bit incensed, he looked up and offered her a charming smile. "I'm afraid I have other affairs to tend to, tonight," he started, pulling off that apologetic face he managed so well, "But it's very nice to get to know you. Maybe next time."

"Well, okay then!" Sakura said cheerfully. "Thank you for everything."

"My pleasure," Sasuke replied, holding up the business card she'd left in his car. "I'll be sure to pass on your message. Thank you, and goodnight."

Her smile widened. "And to you, too."

It was another awkward silence, and Sasuke made a swift decision. "I should get going if I don't want to be late, to, uh," he closed his eyes and opened them again, continuing with whatever excuse that first popped into his head, "the meeting."

_Shit_. That was taking it too far. Who would hold meetings on a Saturday night, anyway? On _eleven_, least of all! He seriously needed to come up with better excuses.

"Okay, then." If she knew he was lying, she didn't show it. "Enjoy your night!" A smile. "I hope you get some goodnight sleep, Uchiha-san."

"Thank you," he replied, a little surprised. Well, that certainly wasn't what his dates usually said to him. He gave her a final nod, started the car, and drove away into the night.

Sakura watched as the car drove out of her sight, and gave a loud whimper.

xx

It was a sunny Monday morning, and Naruto was laughing.

In fact, Naruto was laughing so hard, he was reduced to a useless, cackling heap on the sole couch in Sasuke's office.

"My stomach! My stomach!" he cried out helplessly in between laughter, clutching his stomach, "Oh, darn it, _it hurts_!"

"Well, it would stop hurting if you would just _stop laughing_!" Sasuke thundered, clearly annoyed. If he had known this would happen, he would certainly add _number five:_ _never laugh at Uchiha Sasuke_ to their deal that night.

Naruto took a few deep breaths and finally calmed down. The only thing bothering Sasuke right now was the evil smile on his face as the blond stood up and patted Sasuke sympathetically on the back.

"There's no need to be angry, Sasuke-_kun_," he said, stressing the honorific for emphasis, "I was just, you know, admiring you. Your tactics to get her information were especially admirable." He eyed Sasuke, "I just wish you would tell me what _really_ happened in the car, you know. Aren't you always the one with quick hands? Don't tell me nothing happened, 'cause I wouldn't buy it one bit!"

"Nothing happened." Sasuke glared at him. "And you know that! You're just disappointed that I won the deal and you feel like making me annoyed."

"No, really, I'm not," Naruto's eyes shone mischievously. "You forgot to do the most important part of our deal, my friend."

Sasuke's glare intensified. How long was Naruto planning to torture him? Any more and he'd _castrate_ the blond. "I got her phone number. I got her address. I drove her home. I even made _you_ a talented musician while I was at it. What more do you want?"

"Thanks. You know I enjoy it when I'm super-talented," Naruto grinned. "So you have her phone number and address. All the better, because you're going to need it." When Sasuke shot him a frustrated look, he gave another sympathetic pat on his back. "My dear Sasuke, you forgot to _dance_ with her!"

"What? That wasn't part of the—" Sasuke's face fell, "—deal."

"Uh-huh." Naruto nodded, patting Sasuke's back. "I'm glad you agree with me. Now I'm offering you yet another deal…"

"No more," Sasuke interrupted flatly, shrugging Naruto's hand off his shoulder.

"Hey, now, that's not a very good businessman! What kind of a businessman just turns down a deal without weighing out the pros and cons?"

Sasuke glared. "_Speak_."

Naruto rubbed his hands together, looking extremely gleeful yet evilly satisfied at the same time. "So here's what I have in mind…"

xx

Sakura stared at the monitor, feeling a little miffed. How hard was it to write a new schedule for a budding talent? She didn't usually find it hard—heck, usually it was easy to check all the available slots and just arrange it in the most convenient way possible, but apparently it didn't quite work the same way today. The computer was slow as hell.

"Ugh," she muttered under her breath, turning to the other side of her table, "This is just plain—" At the sudden noise of her phone ringtone, she stopped. On the screen was an unknown phone number. "Hello?"

"Hi!" A cheerful male voice greeted her. "Am I talking to Haruno Sakura?"

Sakura leaned back on her chair. "Yes, this is she. Who am I talking to?"

"This is Uzumaki Naruto!" the caller said, still cheerful.

"Oh! Yes, of course," she straightened up at once, and then shifted to a more comfortable sitting position. "Uchiha-san has told me about you, Uzumaki-san."

"Ah, there's no need for formalities! Just call me Naruto," he told her. "So! Now that we know each other, what do you say to lunch?"

"Lunch?" she repeated, surprised at the sudden invitation.

"Yes," Naruto replied. "There's this ramen bar near the Uchiha office, and I really feel like trying it out. What do you say, maybe we can talk it over?"

Sakura glanced at the clock. It was one thirty, she hadn't had lunch yet, and she was certainly not making any progress with her work. Maybe a bowl of good ramen could change that. "Well…" she hesitated. Here she was, again, agreeing to meet a complete stranger. Whatever was in her head since last Saturday must still be lurking in the back of her mind even today. "Well, okay."

"Great!" he exclaimed enthusiastically. "I'll come down to your place right about now, if that's good for you?"

"What?" Sakura widened her eyes, bewildered. "Oh, you really don't need to do that! I can go on my own."

"Oh, okay," Naruto replied easily. "So… two o'clock, Ichiraku's?"

She smiled. "Sounds good to me."

.

.

.

**tbc.**


	3. iii

**three.**

.

.

.

Ichiraku's was bustling with life when Naruto entered, rushing as always. His eyes wandered frantically around the restaurant, before he slapped his forehead, remembering that he had made reservations already. Behind him, Sasuke had his hands tucked in his pockets, practically glowing with murderous intent.

"Good afternoon, Naruto-san, Sasuke-san," Toudou Shuuhei, the maitre d, addressed them politely. "How can I help you today?"

"Afternoon, Shuuhei!" Naruto smiled cheerfully. "I've made reservations earlier today, I believe?"

"Ah, yes," Shuuhei nodded. "Under the name Haruno Sakura, I believe?"

"That's the one."

"She's already here, Naruto-san," Shuuhei said, gesturing down the hallway that led to the VIP rooms at the back of the restaurant. "I'll take you to your room, if you please?"

As they followed Shuuhei down the corridor, Naruto elbowed Sasuke on the ribs, _hard_. As soon as Sasuke looked up to glare long and hard, he whispered, "Stop sulking, teme. It's unattractive."

"Whose fault is it that I'm here?" Sasuke snapped back hotly. "For god's sake, Naruto, I have a meeting in two hours with the Hyuuga Corporation, finalising our deal, and I can't possibly cancel it only for this!"

"I'll take care of that," Naruto promised confidently, and when Sasuke shot him a _look_, he grumbled, "Give me a chance, won't you? I know how the deal works and how it's supposed to be. I've been to meetings with you, haven't I? Besides, it's Hinata leading today—what could go wrong?"

_A lot of things_, Sasuke thought darkly, but said nothing.

Naruto did have a point—it was Hyuuga Hinata leading today. As talented and clever the girl was, Sasuke personally thought she wasn't quite fit to rule the company. She was very soft-spoken and too kind-hearted for her own good. Her cousin, Hyuuga Neji, would be perfect for the position, had he not chosen to just be her right hand. Although with Hinata leading the meeting today, with Neji away on a business trip, and Naruto going as a representative, Sasuke was almost sure that the deal would work out perfectly. That girl had harboured a huge crush on Naruto since _forever, _although Sasuke just couldn't understand why.

"Fine," he agreed finally. "Only if you promise to call me right after and tell me all about it."

"I promise!" Naruto nodded earnestly.

It was at that moment that they arrived in front of the room. Shuuhei extended his hand, ready to open the door, but Naruto stopped him.

Turning to Sasuke, he asked, "Remember our plan?"

"I remember _your_ plan, if that's what you mean," Sasuke replied dryly. He didn't just remember it; he also had a crumpled note in his pocket that Naruto forced him to pocket, summarising what he was supposed to do for the rest of the day. Needless to say, he hated the plan and he hated Naruto for even thinking of it.

"Good." Naruto nodded in satisfaction. "It should go well, then." To Shuuhei, he said, "We're ready."

Shuuhei opened the door and moved aside to let them in.

The first thing Sasuke saw was _pink_—the pink of her hair, of course. It was eye-catching. The second thing he saw was bright, vibrant colours, and this time, it wasn't her hair—it was… _her_. She was wearing a flowery blouse and a pair of dark blue jeans, which surprisingly seemed to tone down the blinding effect of the colours and made it look… _good_, as much as he hated to admit it. Her handbag was a rosy red colour with a big, pale pink ribbon for decoration.

It took Sasuke three seconds to decide that she had to be the most colourful person he had ever seen. He was suddenly thankful that none of his workers were like this.

As soon as she heard the door, the girl sitting inside immediately snapped her head away from her BlackBerry, turning to the entrance. A confident, bright smile blossomed on her lips as she stood up.

"Haruno Sakura?" Naruto was the first to speak, as he stepped in and offered his hand. "Uzumaki Naruto. I believe you already know Sasuke. I'm sorry we're a bit late."

"Oh, it's okay!" Sakura took his hand, shaking it. "It's very nice to meet you, Uzumaki-san. And you, too, Uchiha-san."

Sasuke merely nodded, as Naruto laughed, "What did I tell you? Just call me Naruto."

"Naruto," she said after him, her smile widening.

"That's more like it!" he assured, nodding, and then gestured to the seats. "Let us all sit, then! Shuuhei, the menu, please!" Turning to Sakura again, he asked, "Have you ordered anything, Sakura-chan?"

"Just a drink," she replied, a little shyly this time. "I haven't ordered any food, though. There are a lot of choices, I really don't know what to order!"

"Great! Would you mind if I order for all of us?"

"No, not at all!" Relief tugged on the corners of her lips. "In fact, that would be good."

"Perfect!" Naruto grinned, and then turned to Shuuhei to order.

Sasuke took this chance to steal another glance at Sakura. Without the makeup and with her hair down, she looked… well, different. He didn't know what other word would be better to describe it. She wasn't unattractive—quite the contrary, actually, he just couldn't seem to put his finger on _what_ made her attractive.

Sakura, noticing the hard stare Sasuke was giving her, wasn't sure how she should feel or do. On one hand, she wanted to greet him and ask him how he had been doing, just out of courtesy, but on the other hand, his expression—or lack thereof—discouraged her. Thankfully, she didn't have to make that decision because Naruto had made one for them already.

"So!" Naruto put his hands together. "I can't believe you haven't tried out this restaurant yet, Sakura-chan! The food here is quite divine, especially the ramen!"

"I'm sure," Sakura nodded, giving a small smile.

"Is it far from your office?" Naruto asked, sending Sasuke a fleeting glance, to which the latter ignored very successfully.

"No, actually," she replied, sipping her tea quietly. "It's quite close. I just… I rarely go to this part of the city, that's all."

"Really?" Naruto seemed genuinely interested this time, "Why's that?"

_Because it's all high flying businesses, restaurants and shops, and I just don't want to be caught being here_, Sakura thought, but answered, "No particular reason. I just… don't go out very often during lunch hours too, I guess."

"Naruto eats here every day," Sasuke said suddenly, though his face was emotionless. "He can't imagine a day without Ichiraku's."

"Really? Every day?"

"Every day."

"Hey! It's not my fault that Ichiraku's just that good!" Naruto defended. "It's closer to our office and it's healthier than what _you_ eat, anyway! Seriously, microwave food?"

"You eat microwave food every day?" Sakura asked, unable to contain her surprise.

Sasuke looked at her weirdly. "No. I don't. Not every day, only on very busy ones." Which was technically every day, actually, but she didn't need to know that.

"Liar," Naruto muttered, earning himself a death glare from Sasuke. Ignoring it, he turned to Sakura and asked, sweetly, "So what do you do during your lunch hours, Sakura-chan?"

"A lot of things!" Sakura grinned. "Surprisingly, there are things you can do in the office during free hours, like… visiting other departments just to make fun of them, for one. I don't get a lot of free hours, though, since most of my work is non-office-based." She paused thoughtfully. "Are you really, _really_ considering a career in music, Naruto-san?" She'd reflexively used the honorific again. It was a habit she couldn't quite get rid of, especially when it concerned people she just met.

Naruto scratched his chin absently, buying time. He hadn't given much thought on how to answer the question if it came up.

"Well, I… I did think about it," he said finally.

It wasn't a complete lie—when he was fifteen or so, he did consider being a singer or something of the likes. At that time, he liked the idea of living as a star: he'd just have to pose, smile, sing or act, and it would all go perfect. He quickly got rid of it when he realised how much Sasuke, his best friend and rival since preschool, hated Itachi for what he did, what he sacrificed, and what he left behind to "go his own way and live his own life" as a musician—a saxophonist, to be specific. The idea was simply thrown out the window, although he himself didn't quite understand the complications between the two Uchiha brothers.

Sasuke looked at Naruto and his jaw hardened, knowing exactly what the blond was reminded of. He picked up his chopsticks and stared at the appetisers served earlier.

Naruto recovered soon, grinning sheepishly. "But I don't want to lie to you, Sakura-chan," he said. "I have another job now, and I enjoy it very, very much."

To his surprise, she didn't seem taken aback at all at his response. "That's wonderful," she said, smiling slightly, "So do you guys work together?"

"Yes," Sasuke was the one who answered. "Although this idiot never does what he's supposed to do."

"That's not true!" Naruto exclaimed. "You never give me much work to begin with!" To Sakura, he said, "Believe it!"

"Sure!" she smiled, trying to hold back her laughter. His expression was so serious that she couldn't hold it back any longer, so she laughed, and loudly, at that. "You know what, had I not known you two are friends, I would have mistaken you for being brothers." Her smile widened, and in her eyes was the kind of look that women usually wore when they knew something men didn't. Sasuke knew that look and hated it with a passion. "Now tell me, please," she continued lightly, her eyes twinkling, "Why did you ask me to lunch? Because we all know that this is just a set-up. You, Naruto-san, you're not planning for a music career at all, and you, Uchiha-san, you have something cooking in your mind. What I want to know is," her smile widened, "What… and why?"

Sasuke didn't waver. He picked up his tea and sipped, staring at the wall behind her determinedly.

Naruto's grin was sheepish. "Were we that bad of actors, Sakura-chan?"

"No, not really," she grinned. "It might have worked with anyone else, but no one working in the entertainment industry is that easily fooled. We A&R executives, especially, are highly trained in this. We need it in order to find new, actually _committed_ talents, else we could end up with good-for-nothings, and that could significantly damage the production company as a whole, if it ever makes it to publicity."

"That bad?" Naruto asked.

"Sometimes," Sakura laughed. "But it rarely happens to small productions like Hourglass."

He nodded thoughtfully. "Well, that's too bad."

"Is it some kind of deal between you two?" Sakura asked again, not letting it go that easily.

"You're sharp," Sasuke spoke suddenly, dark eyes careful on her face. He had seen _that_ look in her face; the kind of look her type of women had. He knew that type: annoyingly smart, increasingly persistent and generally too stubborn for her own good. This… _girl_ wasn't stupid. She wasn't going to be fooled easily by Naruto, or even him. She was going to _pester_ them until they gave her a satisfying answer, and even then, sometimes it might not be enough.

"I've been told," she smiled pleasantly. "I'd rather call it female intuition, though. So what's the deal?"

Naruto returned the smile, and without hesitating, began telling her.

Meanwhile, Sasuke leaned back into his seat and looked at both of them, feeling bored as the conversation went on.

xx

"So let me confirm this," Sakura said, crossing her arms over her chest, "You made a deal that if Uchiha-san got my… ahem, _information_, you would stop bugging him, Naruto-san?"

"Yes," Sasuke answered before Naruto could say anything. No need to tell her that it was just _one_ part of the deal and he had to accomplish the second part if he wanted his privileges. He was calling it off, anyway. There was no need to put more time or effort into the deal, especially when Naruto seemed to want to make it hard for him. Uchiha Sasuke liked challenges, but he wasn't going to challenge himself any more than he needed to, especially when it wasn't worth his time. And it clearly wasn't. This little… _girlie_ wasn't worth his time.

"We're sorry, Sakura-chan," Naruto quickly amended. "It was just thoughtless of us to—"

"Was Hiro a part of your plan?"

"Hiro?" Naruto echoed, dumbfounded.

"Yes, Hiro," Sakura looked up apprehensively. "Did you get him to do what he did?"

Realisation dawned on Sasuke's face. "If Hiro was the man you were with before I came, then no," he said, "We didn't send him."

Sakura turned to look closely at him, green eyes meeting his dark ones, and searched his face for any sign of lies, finding none. She took a deep breath, and finally said, "Okay."

"Okay what?" Naruto asked uncertainly, "Okay, you forgive us, or okay, you'll kick our asses with some kung fu moves or other?"

Sakura laughed. "Okay, I forgive you," she confirmed, smiling good-naturedly, "And don't worry, Naruto-san, I'm not familiar with any kung fu moves at all, had I chosen the second option."

"You forgive us?" Naruto asked incredulously, "Just like that?"

"Why not?" she asked back, "It was nothing serious, no harm done. It's okay."

And she meant it. So she was a part of the deal—she didn't like _that_, but it wasn't like anything bad had happened to her. She got her ride home, Sasuke got what he needed and Naruto got his entertainment. She could afford to have a big heart and let it go.

A sudden beep snapped her back into reality. As she looked up, Sasuke was withdrawing his phone from his pocket. He read the message and his jaw visibly hardened, his face significantly darkening. Without saying anything, he flipped his phone upside down and yanked the battery off, without switching it off, and then tossed both the battery and the phone into the ash box. He then shoved his hands into his pockets, lips pressed into a thin line.

"Call Setsuna and tell her to buy me a new phone," he told Naruto, not even looking at him. "And a new phone number. I need it before five o'clock today."

Naruto, not saying anything, produced his phone from his pocket and began composing a text message.

All of a sudden, the light, carefree atmosphere was gone, and all that was left was the heavy, dull silence.

Sakura cleared her throat, and before she was able to stop herself, asked, "A-are you okay?"

Her question was returned with a glare. Sasuke turned to Naruto, "Can we just get this over with? I need to do something."

"Get what over with?" the blond asked, tilting his head in confusion.

"You're _hopeless_," Sasuke sighed, and then turned to Sakura, his hard, bitter expression surfacing. He fixed a scrutinising look at her, making her feel scared and tiny all of a sudden, and then asked, "How much do you want?"

"What?" she blinked.

"How much do you want?" he repeated his question, clearly annoyed, "I can write you a check."

"A check?" Her face was blank. "What for?"

"Sasuke—" Naruto tried to cut him short, suddenly understanding what Sasuke meant, but he was shortly interrupted.

"How much do I have to pay you so that you will _shut up_ and not tell any third party about all this?" Sasuke's face was suddenly cold, unforgiving. "Just call out the number. I will top it."

Her face went white with realisation, her lower lip trembling, and her shoulder started to shake. For a moment, Naruto was sure that she was about to cry.

"I-if that's what our meeting today is about… then y-you have nothing to worry about," Sakura said, her voice growing stronger and clearer each word she spoke, "I have no intention on sharing to the public about how I know the Uchiha heir—" she looked up, very sharply, and met his eyes, "—especially when he's really just another arrogant, selfish, insensitive _jerk_." She took a deep breath and grabbed her purse, producing some bills. Putting them down on the table, she said, "Thanks for the meal."

"Sakura-chan—"

"Thank you, Naruto-san," she interrupted. "It was nice seeing you. Really. I mean it." She gave him a smile, and then disappeared out of the door before he could stop her.

After the sound of her footsteps disappeared, Naruto turned to Sasuke. "That was really low, you know," he said, "Especially from you. You could have just asked her if you were so worried about that. She didn't do anything wrong. You really didn't have to be so cruel."

"The image of the company _will_ be threatened if she sells that story to the media," Sasuke replied fiercely. "We just got back on our feet and I am _not_ taking any damn risk."

"And what makes you think that she won't tell anyone about how you stepped on her pride and basically treated her like trash?"

"She won't."

Naruto stared at Sasuke, and then threw up his hands into the air. "Sometimes I wonder why I put up with you at all," he hissed. "It's one thing to be angry, but it's a whole different thing to vent out your frustration to innocent people who don't deserve to be treated like shit." He sighed and his eyes caught the ash box on the table. "What happened? Was it the message you just received? Was it from Ita—"

"It's none of your business," Sasuke cut off. "You don't know anything, so _shut the fuck up_."

Naruto shook his head. It was best to just go along with Sasuke when he was like this. The worse his mood was, the more of an insensitive, rude prick he became. And anything related to Itachi, even the _mention_ of his name, sometimes, only brought up the utmost worst in him.

"Come on," Sasuke said brusquely. "Let's just go. We have a meeting in one hour, and I want to go somewhere else first."

.

.

.

**tbc.**


	4. iv

**four.**

.

.

.

Sakura picked up her pace as she strode down the street, ignoring the clacking sounds her three-inch heels made each time they touched the pavement.

Normally she tried to be careful with her feet—they were her best feature, after all, and therefore should be treated with utmost 'care' (that was to say, as long as they looked beautiful, nothing else really mattered). She even went to the extent of buying ridiculously expensive shoes that hurt so much to wear just to ensure it!

What was that saying from her favourite drama? "A beautiful pair of shoes will bring you to the most beautiful places"? Hell yeah, she believed that!

It still hurt, though, damn it.

She let out a string of curses and tried to remember why she'd chosen to wear her prettiest pair of stilettos today. Although it hurt like hell, this particular pair was her lucky pair, and she had kept it under her desk in the office, saving it for Very Special Occasions.

She hadn't thought that lunch with Uchiha Sasuke and Uzumaki Naruto was a Very Special Occasion, but something had encouraged her to trade her comfortable, everyday blue flats with these Prada feet-killers.

What a wise decision. Nothing was so lucky about that lunch. Nothing!

Sakura stopped and looked around, immediately sucking in her breath when she realised where her feet had taken her. Slowly, she turned around to the other direction and began walking, her steps heavy. She felt like slapping herself over and over again, but after a moment of consideration, she sighed and turned around again, entering the pub.

It was way too early to be drinking, but that wasn't what she wanted to do anyway. Standing still in the doorway, she looked around at the workers, who were all doing their respective tasks: rearranging the shelves, cleaning the tables, sweeping…

"I'm sorry, Miss, we're not open until—" one of the bartenders, the first to notice her, started to say, but he was rudely interrupted by a high-pitched female voice Sakura thought familiar.

"Sakura-san!" Sakura was suddenly face-to-face with a small, petite woman holding a broomstick.

"Hello, uh," Sakura quickly glanced at her name tag, "Yori."

"I'm sorry about Takashi, Sakura-san," the woman continued, "He's new here, so he doesn't know about you."

Sakura chose to ignore the second part of her statement, and then asked, "Is he in?"

"Yes, he is!" Yori nodded enthusiastically, and then gestured towards the back of the pub. "Through the backdoor, Sakura-san—"

"I haven't forgotten, Yori," Sakura interjected, forcing a smile on her face. She got a response in the form of a blissfully oblivious smile, and she sighed inwardly. She only met Yori a few times before, but she already found her aggravating—a little too curious, perhaps, especially about things that weren't her business at all.

Yori looked at her anxiously. "Are you not going in?"

"No, I'm not," Sakura replied. "I was just here to…" she swallowed. To what? She didn't know herself, not exactly. She looked at the bar in desperation. "Can I get a drink, perhaps?"

The woman gave her a look, and then smiled kindly. "Is anything wrong?"

"No," Sakura answered. "I just… don't really have anything to do, that's all." Inwardly, she groaned and slapped herself. What the hell, that just made her sound unbelievably pathetic and useless!

"Well, we're not open yet…" Yori looked at the bar cautiously.

Sakura forced another smile. "Well, if it isn't okay, then I'm leaving."

"Wait!" Yori stopped her, the big, warm smile back on her lips, "Okay. We'll serve you! You're one of our _really special_ customers, anyway. What do you want, Sakura-san? A cosmopolitan, as always?"

"Um…" Sakura had always, _always_ chosen cosmopolitans, but she didn't want to look as if nothing had changed since _that_ happened, so she said, "No, thanks. A Bloody Mary will be great."

"Okay," the woman smiled, and then turned to the bartender known as Takashi. "Make her a Bloody Mary, Takashi."

"But—" he looked at her, almost glaring, but then sighed in defeat and proceeded to the task.

Sakura sat down on the barstool, and one moment later, the drink was already served in front of her. She picked up the highball glass, stared at the drink for a moment, and then sipped it carefully. "Thanks."

"You're much welcome," Yori said, picking up her broom again, "Enjoy your drink, Sakura-san! You can always call me if you need something."

Sakura watched as the petite woman walked to the back room, sweeping with her broom, and then turned her attention back to her drink, cursing herself.

This was a stupid, _stupid_ decision.

Having a bad day didn't mean that it was okay for her to go here, of all places. If Tenten knew about this, she'd be so angry at her for making such a _stupid_ deci—

"Sakura."

She immediately froze on her chair.

_This_ was exactly why she shouldn't be here this time of the day, because _he_ would be here too. She swallowed and turned around, forcing a small smile on her lips. She was immediately face-to-face with a man with black hair and dark eyes, his face so, so very painfully familiar. "Sai."

A smile broke on his lips. "Hi."

"Hi," she replied, slightly mesmerised. It had been three long weeks since they last actually spoken, and just looking at him here like this, hearing his voice like this, made her feel slightly nostalgic.

"I didn't expect to see you here," Sai continued, the smile still on his face. "How are you doing?"

It really sounded like _how are you doing after our breakup?_

The real answer would be "barely surviving", but she didn't want him to know that, although she knew that he would be able to see the truth. He always had.

It was one of the downfalls about dating your best friend since high school, anyway. He would have understood you better than yourself. And when he left, the pain was near unimaginable—losing a best friend _and_ a lover at the same time hadn't been great at all.

In fact, it had been a total nightmare.

"Great," she answered anyway, because one should at least try to keep her dignity.

"That's good."

"I know," she said, and then looked at him with question in her eyes.

"I'm doing okay," Sai smiled again, knowing exactly what she wanted. He was silent for a while. "I miss you a lot, though."

_Do you really? _Sakura wanted to ask but dared not to. She'd missed him too, his smile especially, and she painfully remembered how it used to be more… honest, more _real_. Now that they were back to square one, he was all about giving her fake smiles.

He'd been especially good at those.

"What are you doing here?"

"Sitting," she replied, not missing a beat, and then stared at him square in the eyes. "This is the only bar I know that opens quite early. I'm in need of a drink."

He didn't comment on that. "A Bloody Mary, huh?" he raised an eyebrow, his attention on her drink instead. "What happened to cosmopolitans?"

"I don't like it anymore," Sakura answered haughtily, eyes fixed on his, as if challenging him to question her decision. She was suddenly glad that she had ordered something different.

"Sakura, you know very well it's not good to drink at…" he glanced at the clock, "Three in the afternoon."

"I felt like it."

His gaze softened. "What happened? Did you have a bad day?"

"No."

"No?" Sai looked like he was about to ask her about it, but the question never came. "Well, that's good, then." He hesitated for a while. "Sakura, I think we need to—"

"Time to go," she muttered quickly, cutting him short. She didn't care if she looked like as if she was avoiding him—hell, she _was _avoiding him, and she wasn't going to try to hide it if he was going to realise it anyway. She stood up hastily, leaving some bills on the table, and then looked at him. "I'm needed at work."

He just nodded, a little disappointed. "Of course."

"Of course," she echoed, and then turned around and started out of the bar, at the same time feeling a little better and much, much worse than before.

_Shit._

It was really, really heartbreaking to remember that he still had that effect on her.

xx

It was already ten PM, but the hotel lobby was still crowded.

A tall, blonde woman was sitting down on one of the sofas, calmly nursing her champagne, her eyes lingering around the lobby. Putting down her tall glass on the coffee table, she stood up and made her way to the ladies' room.

Once she was done with her retouch, she glanced at her watch and nodded at her reflection in the mirror, a confident smirk gracing her lips.

A woman was only a woman when she knew the perfect time to make her entrance, after all, and this was _the_ perfect time.

Making her way to the receptionist, she held her chin high up in the air, knowing that people would turn to look her way no matter what she did. With an air of confidence, she greeted the receptionist. "Hello."

"Hello!" The receptionist turned to be a small, dark-haired woman with friendly eyes and a warm smile. Her name tag spelled out Ichiro Satsuki. She smiled widely. "Welcome to Nara's! How can I help you?"

"I'm here for Uchiha Sasuke," the woman said calmly. "If you can just tell me his room number, please."

"Oh—about that, miss, I'm really sorry, but it is our company's policy not to give out room numbers of our customers!" Satsuki chirped, still cheerful. "Is there anything I can help you with, otherwise?"

The woman only scoffed, making no effort to hide her annoyance. Eyeing Satsuki with a levelled gaze, she repeated, "I'm here for Uchiha Sasuke, so if you can just very _kindly_ give me his room number, please, my business is done here and you can go on your merry way."

"Miss, I really hope you understand," Satsuki's smile was now forced, even though her tone was polite, "But we really can't just give out our customers' room numbers. It's against the rules, you see."

"This is my last warning, Ichiro Satsuki," the woman continued, her smile pleasant, "Or I will call your superior officers. We can do this the easy way, it's your call."

"Miss," Satsuki's voice rose slightly, "Please, I don't want to get you into trouble, but to give out room numbers is strictly against our policy, and if you can't understand that—"

"Too late."

Satsuki watched, a little anxious, as the woman in front of her murmured into the phone. She was sassy, elegant, in a way that nobody else could _afford_ to be. Hardly anyone knew her superiors personally, though, so she wasn't scared.

The woman, however, knew even better. Smiling even more pleasantly, she passed her phone to Satsuki. "He wants to talk to you."

Satsuki stared at the phone for a while, took a deep breath and spoke into the receiver. "Hello? Ichiro Satsuki here."

"Ichiro-san," a male voice said, and even without having to see, Satsuki already realised that she could be in a big problem as he continued, "That is one of my most valued customer in front of you, and I will deeply appreciate it if you can give her what she wants."

"N-Nara-san…" Satsuki's lower lip trembled once she was sure that she was, in fact, speaking to _the_ owner of the hotel chain itself. "I—I apologise. I… I didn't know that, so…"

"No, you're new, so it's bound that you didn't know about this," he continued, "Only I ask for you to be more careful in the future."

"Yes, of course. Thank you, Nara-san!"

"Pass the phone back to her, please, I'd like to talk to her for a minute."

Satsuki, albeit grudgingly, passed the phone back to the woman in front of her, who by now was smirking triumphantly.

"Yes, yes," the woman said into the phone, "Thank you so much for your help." They continued talking for a few minutes before she finally hung up, returning her attention back to Satsuki. Her smile was pleasant. "What did he say?"

Satsuki tried to give her best-employee smile. "I'm really sorry for the trouble, miss."

"It's quite okay," the woman gave a light wave of her hand. "I trust that you won't make the same mistake in the future."

"Never again," Satsuki nodded vehemently, and then snapped out of it when she realised how unprofessional that was. Changing her expression, she nodded. "Of course, if that's to your convenience. Now let me help you." She moved to the computer and started typing, before looking up a few seconds later. "I'm afraid Uchiha-san has specifically ordered that no one is to disturb him tonight, miss. I can give you his room number if you still want that—"

"I'd like you to send him a message now, please," the woman interjected her. "Tell him that someone is waiting for him downstairs."

"Ah, yes, of course," Satsuki nodded. "Um, your name, miss?"

"Ino," she supplied breezily, her full lips giving a perfect smile. "Yamanaka Ino."

.

.

.

**tbc.**


	5. v

**five.**

.

.

.

_Ring._

_Ring._

_Ring, ring, ring, ring—_

"Fuck," Sasuke cursed loudly, looking up from his laptop and grabbing the receiver. "I thought I already made it clear that I don't want any disturbance tonight—"

"Uchiha-san, someone is waiting for you downstairs," a female voice cut him off, tone polite though wary, "She demanded that you come down as soon as possible—"

"Who the hell?"

"—and her name's Yamanaka Ino, sir," the voice finished.

"Ino?" he echoed.

"Yes."

Sasuke glanced at his laptop screen once more and sighed in defeat. "Just send her upstairs."

"Alright, sir."

As the line disconnected, Sasuke leaned back to his chair, closing his eyes. He didn't expect her to come today, although deep down, he knew that she was going to come and get him, like she always did, all the way from when they were just toddlers. If Yamanaka Ino was good at something, she was the best at getting what she wanted. Well, at least she wasn't annoying like thousands of women out there.

He heard the bell ring, and he stood up to open the door, expecting to be attacked by a hug, a kiss, anything.

But she just stood out there, a solemn smile on her lips.

"Hey."

"Hey," answered Sasuke, suddenly feeling a strong urge to scratch the back of his neck. "Ino."

"Surprised?" she asked, as he stepped aside to let her in.

He had to smirk at this. "Just a little."

Ino sat down at his bed. "Me too."

"Yeah?"

"Just a little," she smiled, looking around the room. "So what's new?"

"Nothing," he replied, taking his seat across her, "Except work, and you wouldn't be interested. What did he do this time to chase you out from Paris, just like that?"

"Nothing," she shrugged. "I was just bored and decided to go home."

"Home, eh?"

"Contrary to what you think, Sasuke-kun, I _do_ like it here."

He shrugged, and turned his chair around, his back facing her as he typed some random numbers into his laptop.

Ino's gaze softened. "So how are you?"

Sasuke paused at this. She would never believe him if he had given her his usual, automatic reply to most people. _I'm fine_ never did cut it. This was Ino, after all, and she was... different.

"I've been better," he replied, careful. "How's the modelling job?"

"I'm thinking of quitting."

"Really?" he didn't seem fazed or even the teeniest bit surprised. "Why?"

"Doesn't seem all that interesting anymore," she answered, lying on the bed.

Sasuke didn't say anything as he watched her erase her make-up, already sealing the deal that she would sleep here tonight. She reached for his suitcase, producing his t-shirt, and then made her way to the bathroom. Then she came out, wearing his shirt and her hair down. Even without make-up, Yamanaka Ino was beautiful, of course—anything less than that would have been a complete lie. But it wasn't because she was beautiful that they were what they were, right now. No, it was much, much more than that.

"Hey," her voice penetrated into his thoughts, "I have an idea."

"So you do."

"Yeah," she sat down again, crossing her legs, "I think it's time."

He raised his eyebrows. "_That_'s your idea?"

"Yes!" Ino replied, sounding offended. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing, except we both know that it's a dumb idea, since we discussed it thousands of times before. What changed?"

"I'm ready now."

"That doesn't change a lot of things."

"It does!" she exclaimed, "But it does, Sasuke-kun. It changes everything. I'm... I know what I'm doing now, and I wouldn't blame you for anything. I promise!"

"What, you think I'm afraid of being blamed by you?" Sasuke looked annoyed. "You know that's not it, Ino."

"So what's stopping you?"

He sighed.

"What? Tell me! I might be able to change your mind."

"No," he told her sternly. "Look, go to sleep. You're not in your right mind, you're tired and stressed out, and I'm not having this discussion with you tonight."

It was her turn to sigh. And then, defensively, she said, "The aeroplane food was bad."

He had to smile at this. "I know."

"Really, _really_ bad."

"I'll take you somewhere nice tomorrow night," he offered, knowing that this was exactly what she wanted.

"Is that a promise?"

"Yeah," Sasuke nodded patiently. "Now go to sleep so I can get back to work quickly."

"Jerk," she muttered, but complied anyway.

xx

When Sasuke woke up the next morning, Ino was nowhere to be found. This was to be expected—usual, even—as it always happened the times before. And like usual, there was breakfast on the table, along with a handwritten note.

Stumbling, he sat up from the couch he was sleeping on, and reached for the note, reading her familiar, neat handwriting.

_Sent your shirt to the laundry. Thanks!  
I'll see you tonight.  
_—_Ino_

He put the note down and looked around the room. It was only in the morning that he got some little time for himself, although it seemed lesser and lesser every day.

And today was going to be a long day, even more so than usual.

Sighing, he proceeded to get ready.

xx

Downtown, Sakura was having a really good start for her day.

She had taken the day off today, calling in sick, and was now watching How I Met Your Mother reruns on TV while Tenten, her roommate, fixed up their breakfast.

Tenten, unlike Sakura, was a romance novel writer and a very successful one at that. She just got home from a trip to China, which was one of the reasons why Sakura called in sick today. They were planning to spend the day together.

"So what's the deal?" Tenten asked, coming out from the kitchen, bringing a tray.

"Ted and Stella are arguing," Sakura replied, too lazy to move, keeping her eyes on the TV.

Tenten sat next to her, handing her a bowl of chicken porridge. "Chinese breakfast," she explained. Tenten, also unlike Sakura, was a great cook and was always trying new dishes. Sometimes, Sakura was worried that she would end up getting food poisoning (or fat), but so far, it hadn't happened.

Straightening up, Sakura turned to look at Tenten. "So how's China?"

"Fantastic," Tenten grinned.

Sakura arched her eyebrows, and smiled teasingly. "Met someone?"

"Just on the flight back," she shrugged. "He's cute, extremely polite and makes good conversation."

"What a keeper!" Sakura pretended to gasp, spooning herself some porridge. "Did you get his number?"

At this, Tenten smiled ruefully, "Wish I did."

"Aww," the pink-haired girl cooed.

"Yeah," Tenten shrugged again, "No big deal, though. I don't really want to get involved or anything." She made a face. "Romance overdose."

"As if," Sakura also pulled a face. "How's the family?"

"They're great." Tenten's expression softened. "Shin's grown so much! Sometimes I wish I can bring him here, you know."

"Shin's your nephew?"

"Yeah. The cute one."

"That would be called kidnapping," Sakura laughed.

"I'd rather they call me that," Tenten muttered darkly. "They still want me to get married this year, you know. 'You're gonna die alone!'" she mimicked her aunt to the best of her ability. "As if I care. Right now, I'm enjoying the single life as it is."

Sakura made another face. As the youngest daughter in a big family, Tenten had four other siblings, all of which were sort of annoying in a sibling-like way. All of them were married and had kids, of course, which made Tenten the black sheep of the family since apparently her parents, old-fashioned and traditional as they were, thought that she was too old to be single. They even went to the extent of introducing her to young, successful Chinese suitors.

Sometimes, Sakura was grateful that her parents were never as demanding as that, but other times, hey, at least Tenten's showed some concern over her marital status. Not that she wanted to get married right now, of course. But hey, some prospects would be nice, right? She liked being single, but it did get dull after a while.

"Oh, crap," Tenten's voice brought Sakura back to earth. She was glaring at her phone screen.

"What?" she put down her bowl, "What's the matter?"

"My editor wants me to go meet her right now," Tenten said, "And I just told her I wanted a day off. God."

"You should go," Sakura advised, "It might be important."

"It never is," Tenten grumbled.

"Tenten!" Sakura laughed, "Look, if you're worried about me, we can reschedule."

"No! I don't want to reschedule," Tenten cried. They were both silent for a while, until Tenten piped up, "Hey, why don't you accompany me come down to the office? Won't be long, I promise."

"I don't..."

"It might even be fun," Tenten continued, her eyes twinkling, "You might even get to meet Kakashi-sensei. I know you have a crush on him. You were totally blushing when I introduced you to him!"

"God! Tenten!" Sakura's face reddened, "I remember nothing of that sort!"

"Yes, well, I didn't think you noticed it yourself, actually," Tenten shrugged. "Oh, come on! You've taken the day off anyway. You don't have anything better to do."

"Hey!" Sakura cried, offended. "That's not true. I have... laundry to do."

Tenten rolled her eyes. "Come on."

Of course, that was all it took to defeat Sakura.

.

.

.

**tbc.**


	6. vi

**a/n:** Thanks for reading. I have to admit, it's kind of embarrassing reading this again. I promise you that my writing style _does_ get better, hopefully sooner rather than later. :/

* * *

**six.**

.

.

.

"Ice cream."

"Yeah."

"You want me to go out for _ice cream_."

"Well, yes," Naruto shrugged.

Sasuke glared at him in frustration. "Why?"

"Because," the blond began, "Because, Sasuke, it's hot, you haven't eaten lunch, I want ice cream and I happen to have a discount card here."

"No."

It was Naruto's turn to glare at Sasuke. "Why not?"

"I have work to do."

"You always do," Naruto returned hotly. "Even last night, you—" he stopped himself, realizing that this could well be a very big mistake.

However, Sasuke was way too quick for that. He looked up from the document he was trying to read. "Last night?"

The blond looked everywhere but at him, and of course, this made him all the more suspicious.

"_Naruto._" Sasuke's voice was, if possible, life-threatening.

Naruto sighed. "Ino called me this morning."

Ah. That explained things.

"What for?"

"The usual stuff," Naruto replied. "She also wants you to send a car to this address…" he rummaged a while in his pockets, producing a pink post-it and handing it to Sasuke, "About two hours from now."

Sasuke read the address on the paper. "Don't tell me she took another job here."

"I think she did," Naruto replied, slightly apologetic. "It's probably just a photo shoot, though."

"Hmm."

Naruto watched Sasuke carefully, looking as if he wanted to say something, and then he sighed. "I wish you would just tell her the truth, Sasuke."

"Tell who what?"

"Tell Ino the truth," the blond continued. "Tell her what really happened with Itachi, tell her that you don't really want this, tell her that you're not really a power-crazed—"

"No." Sasuke's voice was hard.

"It might make things so much easier," Naruto persisted, "For you. For her, too."

"It might make things so much harder," Sasuke countered.

"You know, for someone so smart, it's so strange that you really like doing stupid things," Naruto muttered. "Ino's worried sick about you. Thinks you're overworking yourself, which is true. You spend around eighteen hours in the office every day, Sasuke. You don't even eat dinner out anymore, and I know you sleep here sometimes."

"It's the only way," the black-haired man retorted coldly. "You would be like this too if you were me."

Naruto shook his head. "It's not the only way."

"It's the only way I know."

"This shouldn't be your life—"

"No," Sasuke agreed, suddenly. "No, it shouldn't be. But it is, and _you_ know very well why."

"Don't be so stubborn. If Ino knows—"

"She won't know if you keep quiet."

"You can't hide it forever, you know."

Sasuke shook his head. "You'll see."

"No," Naruto whispered, so soft Sasuke could barely hear him, "_You_'ll see."

xx

Tenten's editor, agent and head publisher in one body, Sasaki Rima, was a petite, ambitious woman with a look as sharp as knives. When she saw Tenten coming in with Sakura, three minutes after their promised time, Sakura could almost literally feel her glare. Rima never did like her a lot, thinking that she was the reason Tenten often disappeared, only to come back with a new, crazy novel idea that Rima usually wouldn't approve, but had to approve anyway since Tenten was not going to get no for an answer.

Most of the time, however, she was pretty damn expressionless.

"Here's the thing," Rima began, putting Tenten's newest novel on the table, "We're getting you a model for the cover of this one."

"Uh-huh," Tenten said, "And?"

"And what?" Rima looked at her, crossly. "There's no 'and' here, except if you forgot to do that assignment I told you to."

The bun-haired woman averted her eyes, remembering that she _did_ have a form to complete. She frowned at the floor and then looked up. "So, a model, huh."

"Yes," Rima nodded. "In fact, she's already agreed to do it and is now discussing photo ideas with Jun. You should go and join them."

"Who?"

"Yamanaka Ino," Rima replied, a triumphant smile gracing her features. "You should be proud. She's international, and it should do wonders to your book."

Sakura, unable to stop herself, widened her eyes. "Yamanaka Ino?"

"Yes," Rima shot her a strange look. "Is there any problem?"

"No," Sakura quickly shook her head, while Tenten stole a glance at her.

"That's good," the editor returned icily. "Off you go, then. They're in Jun's office."

"Right," Tenten replied, standing up and grabbing Sakura with her. "Let's go, Sakura."

"I'll just wait outside," Sakura whispered. "I don't really want to meet... you know."

Tenten grinned wickedly at her. Jun was always trying to hit on girls, but for some unexplainable reason, he seemed to be most fascinated by Sakura, resulting in a most obnoxious flirtatious manner. It could get annoying, she supposed, but she was used to it. Sakura didn't meet Jun as often as she did, though, so that was pretty understandable.

"Yamanaka Ino's in there, though," Tenten reminded her, still grinning. "I don't think he'll still hit on you when a _supermodel_ is inside his office, right?"

"Point," Sakura nodded. "You know what, I think I might know—look, they're coming."

She was right. Jun and a woman who was supposedly Yamanaka Ino—sexy long legs, extremely thin, luxurious blonde hair, Tenten noted—went out of Jun's office, the former talking animatedly about something and the latter smiling politely in response.

Jun caught sight of Tenten and waved, "Tenten! I want you to meet someone," he began, gesturing excitedly to Ino, who smiled prettily, "This is Yamanaka Ino and she'll be helping us to do your newest book cover!"

"Hayashi Tenten," Tenten extended her hand and shook Ino's in a friendly handshake. "A pleasure."

"Pleasure's all mine," Ino returned, just as smoothly. She arched one curious eyebrow at Sakura. "And this is... do I know you from somewhere?" she frowned, "You look really familiar."

"Haruno Sakura," Sakura said, smiling nervously—it was indeed _Ino_, the loud, confident Ino from her childhood years. "We... might have gone to the same primary school."

"Whoa, primary school!" Jun exclaimed. "That's a long time ago."

"Indeed," Ino smiled, her face cool and composed, not a hint of surprise. "It's nice to meet you again, Sakura. It's been a long time."

"Certainly," Sakura nodded, just as polite. "How have you been?"

"Really great," the blonde returned smoothly. "I just returned from Paris."

"How very nice!" exclaimed Sakura, not knowing what to say.

"It certainly is very nice," Ino agreed, and then turned to Tenten. "I'm also really looking forward to working together, Hayashi-san."

"Please, just call me Tenten!" Tenten waved a hand dismissively, "Any friend of Sakura's should."

"You can call me Ino, then," a painfully beautiful smile appeared on the model's lips, "Let's make this book of yours really, really popular. I might have read your work before, but certainly not this one. Surely you can tell me all about it, if you—" a soft, classical ringtone aired, and Ino reached her phone, looking apologetic, "Please excuse me for a moment. Hello?" she turned away, "What? Are you serious?"

Tenten and Sakura exchanged looks, Tenten's a wickedly gleeful expression, Sakura's a mixture of surprise and amusement.

"I didn't know you knew Yamanaka Ino," Tenten nudged her, whispering as they watched Jun ogle Ino, who was still talking on the phone. "Primary school friends? Whoa, Sakura."

"I know, I'm surprised, too," Sakura shook her head. "She was so calm about it, don't you think?"

"Well, she's a model," Tenten agreed, "Images and all that. It's a surprise you still remember each other, though. I don't think I remember any of my elementary school friends. God, that's _decades_ ago..." she paused, frowning. "Mom's right, maybe I should just get married to the next guy I see."

"The next guy you see?" It was Sakura's turn to grin wickedly, as she grabbed Tenten's shoulder and stirred her to Jun's direction. "Even Jun?"

"God," Tenten immediately shuddered. "No way."

The elevator doors separated, and out walked a man who looked very, very familiar to Sakura and reminded her of a particularly stupid event she experienced last week. She shuddered at the thought—what was _Uchiha Sasuke_ doing here?

"Oh, well, never mind," Ino frowned at the phone, turning around to meet the man. "He's already here, Naruto. Yes, I'll see you later. Bye." She shook her head at Sasuke. "Naruto told me you ran off from work."

"You didn't tell me you took a job here," Sasuke countered.

A playful smile appeared on her lips. "Are you angry?"

"No," Sasuke told her. "I—"

"Hush," Ino interrupted, still smiling as she jabbed a finger on his arm, "Be quiet and wait for me! Naruto told me everything, and you've promised you'll take me out out today, so no more working, okay?"

Sasuke frowned. "I still—"

"You _promised_," Ino reminded him, her big, blue eyes widening.

He sighed. "_Fine_."

"Now that's the Sasuke I know," the blonde grinned, completely unaware that the conversation was wide open for everyone to hear. "I'll take care of some things, just wait here, okay?"

Sasuke nodded as Ino turned to Tenten, Sakura and Jun, clasping her hands together. "Well, let's get down to business!"

"Understood," Jun agreed, grabbing Tenten's arm and pulling her in the direction of his office. "Let's talk business in my office."

Helplessly, Sakura watched as she was left alone with Uchiha Sasuke. She turned around, frowning, and proceeded to ignore him, sitting down on the sofa in the hallway instead. She pulled out her BlackBerry and checked her e-mail, trying to find something to busy herself with. She straightened up when she realized that he was approaching her. Looking up, their gazes met for several seconds before Sakura wavered and looked away.

"So," his voice was smooth, "You didn't tell anyone."

Her head snapped up. "Why would I?"

"I thought you would."

"No. I don't like to complain, much less pity myself for what has happened." She looked at him sharply. "Why are you talking to me? If you're going to offer me some money again, I suggest you take your flight before you offend me any further."

"It's not all about money," he replied. "And I wouldn't."

"Really?" she arched an eyebrow.

"I don't like to fail," he replied, looking at her with masked curiosity.

Sakura put away her BlackBerry and then looked at Sasuke, who was currently staring at the ceiling impassively, back straight and hands in his pockets. "You seem to be in a better mood," she commented.

He raised his eyebrows at her. "Why are _you_ talking to me?"

"I'm bored," she told him, just as icily, "So it's not for your benefit, don't worry."

"I'd rather not owe you one," Sasuke retorted sarcastically, scowling at her. "Still think I'm nice?"

"I think you're a jerk," she replied straightforwardly, not bothering to mask the annoyance and frustration in her voice. "I _thought_ you were an A-class jerk who was only capable of hurting people."

"'Thought'?"

"You're nice to her."

"Who?"

"Ino," replied Sakura. "I can only imagine..." she trailed off.

"What?"

"Either I caught you on a bad day, or you just hate me," she looked at him, and then added, "Without reason."

He made no move to deny that as he turned around and returned her gaze sharply.

"Well," the pink-haired woman shrugged, unaffected. "So you hate me. Which is as well, I don't like you very much either."

"I didn't say that," Sasuke interrupted her. "And you're too talkative."

"I'm being nice."

"I don't need your being nice."

Tilting her head, she observed him, taking in his rigid posture, his cold eyes, his hardened jaw, the way he looked at her, and then asked, "So is Ino your girlfriend?"

For a second, he looked a little taken aback by the sudden change of topic, but his reserved composure quickly returned. "No."

"Too bad," Sakura said. "You two look very... cosy with each other."

He didn't reply, only slightly shifting. When he looked at her, she was fingering the ends of her ever-colourful dress, trying to smooth it out. He snorted. "You have a very... interesting fashion sense."

She stopped her action. "What do _you_ know about fashion?"

"Enough to comment on your style," he said. "I've known Ino since we were toddlers."

"I've known her when we were in primary school."

"Have you, now?" he looked slightly surprised at this, "She never said anything about it."

In all truth, Sakura didn't use to be the best of friends with Ino, although there were times that she thought they _could_ have been good friends if she wasn't so impatient sometimes and if Ino wasn't so... _Ino_. Needless to say, primary school was a long, _long_ time ago. She almost couldn't remember who her first kiss was if it wasn't for her diary, let alone her primary friends. Ino was just, well, rather memorable because of certain things she did when they were younger.

"I was insignificant," she retorted dryly. "She didn't tell me about you, either."

"I can't imagine why she would, seeing as you two weren't close," Sasuke returned, crossing his arms.

"You know," Sakura began, thoughtfully, as she nibbled on her lower lip. "You would make quite a good recording artist."

"What?" he looked at her again, surprised at the sudden change of topic.

It was like she was jumping around, not knowing exactly where she was going and just saying things for the sake of saying things, breaking the silence, whatever. It was a little bit unnerving since Sasuke wasn't used to people like this—his close colleagues were mostly cool and composed, never making small talk, never wasting their time or their words. This girl in front of him, the one he deemed as a little _girlie_, was... different. She made small talk, wasted her time by waiting here, wasted her words by saying things that he wouldn't have remembered anyway...

Sasuke wondered why he felt intrigued, and wondered if he should hate himself for that.

"You have the image," Sakura said, more to herself than to him, "I mean, you know how there's usually a guy who's cool, aloof, and very much uncaring but is actually a hopeless romantic at heart?" she turned to look at him, grinning now, "You're like that guy. I think you might actually _be_ a hopeless romantic inside. Once... discovered. By the right person."

"Don't even go there," Sasuke told her flatly, all sense of intrigue gone down the drain, "I have no interest in music. At all."

"Really?" It was her turn to be intrigued. "I don't think anyone can have zero interest in music. Even _silence_ is music, you know," she smiled, and a faraway look settled in her emerald green eyes. "Sometimes it's the loudest kind of music there is."

He opened his mouth, about to counter that with another sarcastic remark, but the door to Jun's office opened and out came Ino, still talking to Tenten in idle chatter. They approached Sakura and Sasuke, both of them deep in their discussion.

"Hey," Sakura said, "How is it?"

"I think it's going to be great," Tenten smiled, looking as if she could barely contain her excitement. "Ino's great."

"No, you're also great," Ino returned the smile modestly. "You're easy to work with, and I can tell this is going to be easy and fun for the both of us. Hopefully for Jun-san, too."

"He's wondering why the hell you don't respond to him in any way," Tenten told her, a sly smile gracing her features. "I think he's used to being either rejected or accepted, but never _not_ both, you know?"

"Well," Ino laughed, her voice clear as bells, "I'm used to doing the not-both part," she turned to Sasuke and Sakura. "So what have you both been doing?"

"Nothing," Sakura replied, a forced smile on her face. "We were just talking."

"Talking?" Ino looked slightly surprised, glancing at Sasuke, but then quickly hid it with another beautiful smile. "Well, isn't that nice! I have to go now, I'm afraid, but Sakura—it's really nice meeting you again. We should meet up some other time! When will you be free?"

"I'm not sure yet," Sakura admitted, and then dug around in her handbag, retrieving a business card. "It's really nice meeting you again, too, Ino. Call me whenever _you_'re free."

"It's a date," Ino promised, taking Sasuke's arm. "Well, then. Thank you for a lovely meeting, Tenten. We'll get in contact soon enough."

"Hopefully sooner than later," Tenten agreed. "And thank _you_, too."

Once both Sasuke and Ino were gone, Tenten nudged Sakura.

"So," she said, "He's hot, huh?"

"You mean Uchiha Sasuke?" Sakura muttered.

"Yeah," Tenten nodded. "Is he her boyfriend or something?"

"He said no," the pink-haired woman replied. "I asked."

"You look like as if you know him from somewhere."

"Yeah, actually. I _do_ know him from somewhere. He's not what he seems like, I swear."

Tenten frowned suspiciously. "You're hiding something, aren't you?"

"Not at all." Her cheerful demeanour back, Sakura latched on Tenten's arm. "Let's go find something to eat, I'm _starving_ and today's supposed to be our day, anyway!" Noticing Tenten's expression, she grinned. "I'll tell you _everything_ if you treat me to lunch."

"Only if you treat me to dinner," Tenten replied wickedly.

"Only if you tell me _everything_ about your handsome-plane-stranger," Sakura retorted, just as wickedly.

"It's a deal."

xx

"So," Ino started, when they were already in the car and outside the office grounds. "You seem to get along well with Sakura."

"We've met a few times before."

"Really?" Ino looked on, intrigued. "Where? How?"

Her question was returned with a frown, "Why are you so interested in her anyway?"

"She's my childhood friend," she smiled. "Plus, I think she's interesting. Way more interesting than she was back then, anyway. Why do _you_ disapprove so much?"

"I don't disapprove," he muttered, scowling.

"Then how should I interpret that scowl?"

"It's a bad day," he retorted.

"Because you didn't get to finish as much paperwork as you would have liked?"

His scowl deepened, realizing that she _really_ knew him all too well.

"It's good to go out, Sasuke," she smiled again, reaching for his arm and squeezing it. "It makes _me_ happy, too, that you're meeting new people. Sakura seems like a good girl."

"I don't hang out with her."

"Really? You should. Your lack of female companion makes me worried, you know. At least if it's Sakura, I know she'll do nothing bad. She's way too innocent to do _anything_."

"I have you, now."

She paused at this, before a small smile blossomed on her lips. "But not forever, Sasuke."

"Don't even talk about that."

"There's nothing wrong with talking about what's going to happen," she told him, softly, and then looked out the window, "I know Naruto's been constantly by your side, all this time. But even with him you don't open up completely. It's not wrong to rely on someone else, Sasuke. And when I'm gone..."

"And you're telling me to rely on someone I don't know?" he asked, coldly, sarcastically.

"No." Her blue eyes fixed on his face, she said, "No, of course not. But she might surprise you."

_She already has_, Sasuke thought, but said nothing as he stared down the road.

"Well," Ino glanced at the name card and punched in Sakura's number in her phone, saving it for future use. She then thrust the card into Sasuke's free hand, smiling softly, "It's your choice."

Silent, Sasuke tossed the card to his backseat, forgetting about it right the moment it was out of his hands. Ino just looked at him, at the card on the car floor, shook her head and then turned on the radio, looking for something to break the silence.

.

.

.

**tbc.**

* * *

**a/n:** I've received a review asking me why I'm reposting the story, and a couple of PMs asking me to clarify.

So… to make my point clear, yes, this is the original _Bad Behaviour. _Yes, it had 30 chapters but I took it off-site because it was plagiarised several times. I'm now reposting the chapters because **a number of people have requested it**, all the while I go on fixing any grammar, punctuation or structure problem I encounter. There will be **no changes at all** **to the overarching plot**, so if you feel like you're reading the same story, **it's because** **it is the same story**. Thanks for understanding.

Not gonna lie, I'm feeling a little bit miffed because these are all stuff I have said before in previous author's notes. I know that some, if not most, people just glaze over these things, but really, guys. If it's something important, chances are I've already addressed it. :/

That said, many, many thanks for everyone else who has been so kind to welcome _Bad Behaviour_ back on FFN. It's been several years since I started writing this, but I still cherish each and every single one of your reviews, and they mean a lot to me. :)


	7. vii

**a/n:** Thank you for the reviews you left on the previous chapter, guys! :)

* * *

**seven.**

.

.

.

"Sakura! Over here!"

Sakura turned around, surprised, and then noticed where Ino was sitting, looking very much like a porcelain doll, her legs crossed, her hair flawless and her smile angelic. She could see some guys making goo-goo eyes at the blonde and whispering her name, entirely too hopeful that she would look at them. Clutching her phone, Sakura made her way down to the table, ignoring the envious look said guys were throwing her as she did so.

"I'm glad you could make it on such a short notice," Ino said as soon as she sat down. "I was afraid I caught you on a busy day."

"On a Sunday? Not a chance." Sakura, despite herself, smiled sorely. She had been rereading _Gone With the Wind_ for the nth time again this afternoon, something that had become her bimonthly routine, and bawling her eyes out at the last scene, when Ino called and asked her to meet up. "It's my relaxation day."

"I'm sorry to call you out like this, then," Ino said kindly. "Well, what do you want to drink? Their hazelnut coffee is wonderful." She flicked her fingers and a waiter came to take their orders. When their drinks arrived, Ino turned to Sakura. "So you must be wondering why I called you."

"A little," Sakura admitted, stirring her coffee.

"I'm leaving for Paris next Thursday."

"I see," Sakura said, nodding curiously. _I'll miss you_ would sound too intimate, and although they had been friends once in their life, they were far from that now. "Why so soon?"

Ino shrugged. "Job calls."

Sakura smiled sympathetically. "Ah," she said, in a voice that meant _I understand._

Ino laughed, "We're never going to be free from work, aren't we? I remember complaining all day long about always having to do _home_work and thinking we'll be free as soon as we're out of elementary, but nope—it never ends."

"It does get discouraging after a while," Sakura nodded, laughing as well. "When will you be back?"

"I'll come back when I have the chance to," Ino replied, "Although don't hold your breath to that—work's been increasingly annoying nowadays."

"But you are very successful now," Sakura said. "You've achieved your dreams."

Ino's bright blue eyes softened, "You remembered."

"We used to be really good friends, Ino," Sakura replied, shrugging. "I had a diary I wrote in at that time and your name came up several times."

"You used to be so confused on what you wanted to be when you grew up."

"Yes," she laughed fondly. "I love my job now, though. It's… fulfilling. I guess."

"That's good," Ino nodded, and in her eyes was that faraway look that told Sakura she was thinking about something, and when she finally came back to her, she looked determined, "Look, Sakura, it's very rude of me to say this now, but I… I have a favour to ask you."

Sakura straightened up, "You do?"

"I do."

"What… what is it?"

"I'm leaving on Thursday," Ino started softly, "And truth be told, I really don't know when I'll be back. Hopefully sooner than later, but we never know. My work is demanding like that," she looked up, and this time some sort of sadness graced her features, "You know what it feels like when you're not… _home_?"

Sakura didn't answer, just looked at her in a most curious manner. A little truthfully, she answered, "I've never been too far away from… well, home."

"Well. It's not a good feeling, I can tell you," Ino continued, "I worry a lot about what I've left behind, you know? You never really know what happens when you're not there. E-mails, text messages, phone calls and all that jazz only go so far. You can never really tell if they're really alright or not. Someone told me I worry too much and that's why I'm so troublesome," she chuckled at this, "But how can I not worry about what I've left? My family, my friends…" she paused, and then looked up sharply at Sakura, "Sasuke."

"Sasuke?"

"Sakura, I worry about Sasuke more than I worry about everyone else, even my family," Ino said, more seriously at this. "He's… different. He's not your average guy. There's something about him that makes him different."

"Um," Sakura responded. "Okay. I can't really say. I mean, I only know him for god knows how long. It's not enough to… form a judgment, surely."

The woman sitting across her looked relieved and expectant at the same time. "And that's why I came to you first."

"What?"

"Sakura, you're not judging him," Ino smiled ruefully, "Even after the way he treated you, you're indifferent to him. Not a lot of people are like that, right? I mean…" she trailed off, before quickly picking up again. "He needs someone like you. Who can… well, I would say _understand him_, but that's a little too much at this point. What I mean is… he needs someone who doesn't judge, you know?"

"You knew about what happened at Ichiraku?"

"Naruto told me a thing or two about it," Ino admitted, a slightly apologetic look crossing her face. "And while I'm on this, I might as well apologize on his behalf. He didn't mean it, Sakura. He didn't, I swear. It wasn't you or what you did or what you said at all, it was just… a bad time."

Sakura frowned, not getting her head around the idea. One minute they were reminiscing about the past, and another they were talking about Sasuke—and she really, really didn't know what to make of Sasuke. Sure, she didn't judge him, but it didn't stop her from asking questions, albeit silently and just to herself. She was just that kind of person who asked about another person when he or she happened to catch her interest.

And catch her interest Sasuke did.

In was inevitable, she supposed, because all of their meetings were… most _curious_, one could say, for the lack of a better word. He saved her from having to punch an asshole on the face on their first meeting, had blown up on the second, and was sort of… _amiable_ on the third. What was strange _and _stupid at the same time was that she wanted to do something _for _him.

"Sakura?"

Looking up sharply at Ino, she asked, "What _do_ you want me to do?"

"I know I'm asking for a lot, but…" Ino smiled and clasped her coffee mug tightly. "I want you to be friends with him."

"You want me to be _friends _with him?" Sakura asked, baffled. Now that was certainly unexpected—not that she was actually expecting _anything_.

"I just need… I just need someone who can tell him that it's perfectly alright to make mistakes, you know?" Ino sounded desperate, but she forced herself to continue. "Sasuke will never admit it, but he's such a perfectionist he thinks the world is out to get him—quite literally. I just want someone to be there and tell him that he's wrong when he's wrong, but also that it's okay to be wrong…" she trailed off, "You've seen Naruto. You might not believe it, but Naruto spoils him rotten, although Sasuke always thinks he's still around just because as if he owes Sasuke something, or out of pity. Which isn't true—Naruto really _does_ care for him, and…" she looked up at Sakura. "You understand, right? You've always been good at reading people."

"You only know me in _elementary_, Ino," Sakura couldn't help saying. "I like to think that I've changed a lot since then, and I really do believe that I did."

"It's a bit of a long stretch, I know," Ino whispered, more softly this time, "But I really… the only person that came to mind when I thought about this was you, I wouldn't lie. And while I know he doesn't seem like he has a lot to offer… he's a rich man, money and authority and all that jazz, but there's more to him than just that, I promise. He's just… he just sets standards for himself way higher than anyone else does."

"Why… why me?"

"Because I liked you a lot when we were in elementary, Sakura, and I trusted you the most out of all the other girls," Ino said, smiling nostalgically, "And although you said you've changed, _I_ like to think that no one can change so much there's no trace of the past in the new him or her. Your past makes you who you are, right? Also," a sad smile graced her beautiful face, "You're the only one I can think of who can do this."

"Do you understand what you're asking out of me?" Sakura asked incredulously.

"I'm not asking you to say yes immediately," Ino agreed. "I'm just asking you to consider it. Just… just think about it."

"I don't know, Ino," Sakura whispered. "I just… I don't know."

It wasn't that she didn't want to help Ino or anything of the like. She just didn't feel that it was her _right_, for the lack of a better word, to just—

"Just think about it, Sakura," Ino repeated, and held out a piece of paper with her phone number written on it, along with some bills. She stood up and smiled. "I have to go now, but I'd love to talk to you again before I leave for Paris."

"Oh, Ino—" she began, flustered, but was quickly interrupted.

"Just think about it," the blonde repeated again, leaning down to hold Sakura's hand for a brief second. "Just think about it and think it through, okay? At least promise me that."

"I…" Sakura looked up just in time to catch the plea and desperation in Ino's eyes, and she felt herself slowly giving in. Sighing in defeat, she nodded reluctantly. "Okay, I'll think about it."

"Thank you." The look on Ino's face was the very definition of gratitude, and all of a sudden, Sakura felt like she had done the right thing. The model looked as if she was about to cry out of relief. "And if you need anything, then by all means, just call me."

Sakura smiled. "Okay."

"I'll call you before I fly to Paris," promised Ino, offering a hand. "I'm forever indebted, Sakura."

Sakura stared at the outstretched hand, and then took it. "No problem."

As she watched Ino walk out of the cafe, she sat back down, massaging her throbbing temple and sighing in exasperation as she realized just what had happened.

_Haruno Sakura, what did you just _do_?_

xx

"I met Sakura today."

Sasuke raised his eyebrows at the declaration.

"She's a very nice girl."

"You've been throwing her at me since weeks ago, Ino." His jaw hardened. "My answer is still a no."

"I didn't ask you a question," Ino said, standing up to refill his glass of wine. Setting it gently on the table, she smiled. "But I want you to do me a favour."

"Favours for you never end up well for me," Sasuke frowned, though a few seconds of silence later he sighed in defeat. "What is it?"

"I want you to give yourself a chance." Ino laughed at his expression, and then squeezed his arm briefly, her fingers cool and dry. "Hey, I'm serious."

His frown deepened. "When have I _not_ given myself a chance?"

"All the time," she replied, deadpan. "You've never given yourself a chance to _relax_."

"You know I don't have the time to."

"You just don't give yourself any time."

"There's no time to relax," he responded sharply, "I have a lot of things to take care of, you know that."

"There are other things more important than your business."

Sasuke didn't reply, keeping his gaze fixed on his laptop screen.

A little more gently, Ino added, "There are other things more important than what you're trying to do now, Sasuke."

"What do you think I'm trying to _do_ here, Ino?" he asked, exasperated.

Her smile was sad. "Living up to Itachi."

Sasuke's head snapped up, his glare boring into hers, onyx orbs sharp and cutting deep. Coldly, he hissed, "Itachi's got _nothing_ to do with this."

"Itachi's got _everything_ to do with this," Ino corrected him patiently, "You just don't want to admit it."

"I don't want to admit something that's not true."

"It's not true just because you're lying to yourself," she said, and an almost maternal look graced her features, "I wish you would stop doing that, Sasuke. You don't _need_ to, you know? You and Itachi are two completely different people. He'll always be better than you at certain things, but you'll always be better than him at certain things, too."

"You don't understand."

"Maybe not completely," Ino agreed, "But I want the best for you. You should know that."

"Do you want the best for Itachi, too?" he quipped harshly, "You were closer to him than to me before."

"That's not entirely true. I love both of you equally, and you know that. You _know_ that, Sasuke," Ino frowned. "And this isn't about me. This is about you."

"Knowing you, it's probably more about you than about me." Sasuke's reply was biting, the implication of his words hanging heavily in the air. _You've always been more self-centred than anyone else I know_.

Ino flinched at his harsh words, but her face remained calm. "I don't want to fight with you, Sasuke. Not tonight. Not ever."

He refused to look at her.

She sighed. "If Itachi's got nothing to do with this—_nothing_ at all—then why do you always get angry whenever anyone brings up his name?"

"No reason."

"He's your _brother_, Sasuke."

"Exactly."

"I don't see the logic in this."

"Logic only gets you so far." His smile was suddenly cruel. "It is different when other things are taken into consideration." His fingers traced his keyboard. "This is _mine_ now. It's not his anymore."

"Yes," Ino looked at him in disbelief. "And you've proved yourself worthy of the company, Sasuke. Regardless of what you do, really, what matters is that you'll always be worthy. You just… don't realize that, do you? You keep trying to live up to Itachi's name—and oh, Sasuke, all I want to do is just tell you that you can just _stop_!"

He gripped her arm, his eyes narrowing. "Do you think it's easy, being me?"

"No!" she exclaimed. "It's never easy being _anyone_, Sasuke. You'll always have problems no matter who you are. All I'm asking is… is for you to stop making it so damn hard for yourself! Three years ago you've _gained_ what you wanted your whole life—the company—and now that you have it in your hands, you can stop trying so damn hard and maybe live a little!"

Sasuke paused at this, emotions flooding his eyes for a split second before he gazed at her blankly. "You don't know _everything _that happened, Ino."

"Then maybe you should enlighten me."

"Maybe I don't want to."

"Maybe you _should_."

"Maybe it's none of your business."

Ino laughed bitterly at this. "Maybe I'll still care even if it's none of my business."

"Maybe you won't care at all."

"Do you know me _at all_, Sasuke?" she asked, tears forming in the corners of her bright blue eyes. "I've been with you _your whole life_. You and Itachi. Both of you."

"And now that he's gone, I'm not enough for you, am I? You have to change something about me."

"I only want the best for you."

"This is the best for me."

"Living your life in the office?" She grasped his arm tightly, her tearful eyes filled with hurt. "Really, Sasuke? Do you really think this is _all_ to your life?"

Sasuke stared at her, and just like he expected, something inside him started to soften. He laughed outwardly, a cynical, sarcastic sound, and reached out to take her hands into his. _Ino_. Ino had always been his number one weakness, the only one he wanted to protect, the only one whose happiness felt like salvation to him. And right now, all he wanted to do was tell her everything—_everything_, starting from the beginning right to the very end—but he couldn't.

He just couldn't.

"Do you really think I want this, Ino?" he asked finally, his fingers squeezing hers. "If I had—_have_—any choice, do you really think I would have chosen this?"

She looked confused, but she returned his squeeze tightly anyway, her tone desperate when she spoke, "But you have a choice. You alwaysdo!"

"Not in this case, I don't."

Ino shook her pretty head, refusing to believe it, and a sad smile broke on her lips. "How can I go back to Paris if you're being like this?"

"Don't go."

"I have to, you know that."

He just chuckled. "Then don't worry about me."

"How can I not?" she asked. "You're Sasuke!"

"Exactly," he said, "I don't want you to worry about me."

She shook her head again. "I just want you to do _one_ thing for me now. _One_."

"What is it?"

"I want you to get to know Sakura better."

Exasperation quickly flooded Sasuke's features again, all traces of sadness gone from his eyes, replaced by repressed anger. "You are _unbelievable_."

She took his hand and squeezed. "Am I? But I'm only doing this for you because you can't take care of yourself."

He frowned. "What is it about her that makes you so hell-bent like this?"

"She's the only woman so far who didn't run away crying from you." Her tone was playful, but there was a hint of seriousness in it that Sasuke didn't miss. "And I like to think that she's a chance, you know? A chance I want you to take. You might surprise yourself."

"A chance for _what_?"

"I don't know yet," Ino admitted reluctantly. "But you've said it yourself, I've always been good at _noticing_ things other people don't. I want you to give her a chance, Sasuke. Can you do that for me?"

He shook his head. "What do you _want_ me to do?"

"You're the man." Laughter was evident in her eyes now. "Take her out to dinner or something. You're the man."

"You're a _lousy _matchmaker and you know that."

"I am not matchmaking you with her!" Ino exclaimed. "I just want you two to be good friends. She's a good person, I can tell. Hasn't changed _too_ much even though she doesn't even realize it herself." Her eyes softened. "And she's pretty, isn't she? She'll look good around you."

"Of course we'll make the front cover of any gossip magazine," Sasuke replied sarcastically.

"If that actually happens, you should send one to Paris," Ino laughed. "I really want to see that."

"It'll never happen."

She punched his chest playfully, and then asked. "Will you do it?"

Sasuke sighed in exasperation. "Have I ever said no to you before?"

"No." Her arms came around him as she enveloped him into a tight hug. "You've never said no to me before."

He didn't say anything, returning the hug quietly.

She tilted her head up, her lips on his cheek for a fleeting moment, and then pulled away. "I'm going to miss you a whole lot, you know?"

"I know," he said. "I know."

.

.

.

**tbc.**


	8. viii

**a/n: **A belated Merry Christmas, you guys! Whether or not you celebrated it, I hope you've all been good. Here's chapter 8, do enjoy. :)

* * *

**eight.**

.

.

.

It was like one of those scenes in soap operas where the heroine was about to board a plane and the hero just stood there, not knowing what to do but broken inside.

Okay, well. It was only a _little_ like it, Sasuke supposed, because he really didn't know what to do, not because Ino was leaving and he was broken inside—but because Ino was sharing most of her last words in Japan with _Sakura_, not him, to talk _about_ him.

Sakura was smiling as Ino talked to her, but he didn't miss the way she kept stealing glances at him, her emerald eyes sparkling brightly as she held back her laughter. Damn it, what was so _funny_? He looked up in time to see Ino slipping a folder full of paper into her hands, before pulling the pink-haired woman back to where Sasuke was standing.

"So," Ino said, "I have to go now." She took his hand and then nonchalantly put it on top of Sakura's, as if it was the most natural thing to do. "I'll be back soon," she continued cheerfully, "and when I'm gone, I want you two to be getting along _really_ well, got it?"

Sasuke watched as Sakura smiled to Ino, not at all bothered by the fact that their hands were intertwined or by Ino's request. The woman nodded as she glanced back at him, her face impassive and her eyebrows raised, almost as if she was daring him to say something.

In response, Sasuke cleared his throat and grunted.

"Now then," Ino clasped her hands together. "I'll see you two around."

"Goodbye, Ino," Sakura replied. "It was really nice to see you again."

"Thanks for everything, Sakura," Ino hugged her briefly. "Do keep me posted."

"I will."

"Sasuke, I—" Ino turned to look at him, and then pulled him away, out of Sakura's earshot. Her hands still clutching his, she whispered, "I really want you to give this a chance."

Ignoring that, Sasuke sighed. "Call me when you've arrived."

"I will," she replied, smiling hesitantly and then enveloping him in a tight hug. "You take care of yourself and Naruto, okay? I'll miss you guys."

"You take care of yourself," he said.

"I _will_," she laughed, punching him playfully.

Giving Sasuke one last look, Ino waved to Sakura and then walked away, disappearing behind the departure gates, blonde hair dancing behind her back. Ignoring the sudden lump in his throat, Sasuke looked at the woman left standing beside him.

"So," he began.

"So," she repeated, her tone friendly. "Dinner?"

Sasuke frowned. "It's only seven."

"I've been instructed to take you out to dinner at seven," Sakura quipped, not at all distracted by his cold tone, "and not to let you eat all alone. So let's go now."

There was determination in her eyes and somehow Sasuke knew, just _knew_, that she wasn't going to take no for an answer. He knew that look, had seen it in Ino's eyes whenever she wanted him to do something he wouldn't do normally, had seen it in Naruto's eyes almost all the time, and seeing it in Sakura's eyes just reminded him that he wasn't going to be able to get away from this.

"Okay," he relented, "but _I _am taking _you_ out to dinner. Not the other way around."

"Aww," she cooed, her lips pressed into a thin line as if she was holding back her laughter. "Did I just hurt your man-pride?"

"No," he glared at her.

When she beamed back at him, her vibrant emerald eyes shone, and all of a sudden Sasuke found himself wondering if he was in for something much, _much_ greater than what he bargained for.

xx

She should have expected this, she supposed. Having _the_ Uchiha Sasuke take her out to dinner would only mean one thing: she was going to a really fancy restaurant, sit in a private room and order food whose names she had trouble remembering.

"So," Sakura began, breaking the silence, "Is this your favourite restaurant?"

"Yes."

"They have good wine," she allowed smilingly, "And the food is plain delicious. On nights like this, however, I prefer ramen."

He looked up at this, a smirk tugging on his lips. "How interesting."

"I bet you've never eaten at a ramen bar, right?" She shot him a wicked look. "How spoiled."

"Wrong," the Uchiha answered simply, forking his food, "Naruto loves ramen and occasionally drags me to eat with him."

"Well, that's surprising," she told him.

"What is?"

"You let him drag you around?" Sakura asked, her eyebrows arched.

"Naruto's persistent—"

"Ah, so persistence is the way to your heart."

"—and besides, Ichiraku serves damn good ramen," he finished.

"Ichiraku isn't a ramen _bar_," she said, "It's a ramen restaurant. There's a maitre d at the door, and you expect me to believe that it's a ramen bar?" She looked up when Sasuke didn't give any response, and smiled when she realised he didn't have one. "Let me take you to an actual bar someday. I'm sure you'll like it."

"Don't be so sure. You don't know me that well."

If this was supposed to hurt her someway, she only laughed, her eyes crinkling in a friendly manner, as she smartly countered, "You don't know me that well, either, so how do you know I'm not right?" Her eyes shone in challenge. "Besides, you've been wrong about me before, haven't you?"

He had not, above all, expected that she'd bring that up. "That was a one time occurrence," he replied flatly. "Don't be so smug about it."

"I'm not being smug." Sakura waved her hand dismissively, paused, and then broke into a grin. "I'm just laying out the facts."

Sasuke looked at her and searched her eyes for any sign of hurt, any sign of annoyance, any sign of any sort of response at all for what he had done to her, but found nothing. She just stared back at him, smiling and looking very much cheerful—and for some reason, it made him curious.

"You're certainly very… indifferent."

"To what?" Sakura asked.

"Shouldn't you be angry after what I did to you?" he asked, not at all bothering to be smooth and suave like he usually did.

"I'm not one to hold grudges," she laughed outwardly, "And it's not like having dinner with you is taxing on my health or anything, right? Besides, I've been told indifference is a good way to live."

"By who?" he asked.

"My ex-boyfriend," Sakura replied breezily.

Sasuke raised his eyebrows. "You're actually following your ex-boyfriend's advice."

"Yes," she agreed. "And that's wrong because?"

"It's not wrong," he said. "It's just… interesting, I suppose, that you still take it after you broke up."

She laughed again. "He was my best friend. I guess it would only mean he wanted the best for me, right?"

"Hmm."

"Besides, this is easy," she smiled—a strange, half-lit, not quite there yet not quite here smile—and then repeated, "This is easy."

He opened his mouth, about to ask _what_ exactly was easy, but didn't get the chance.

"Wow," she interjected, poking the escargot on her plate, "They're huge. Want some?"

"No, thank you."

"Okay." She started eating.

"You know, for a first date—for a first _meeting_, you'd usually want to eat something simple," he couldn't stop himself from saying.

She wiped her mouth delicately, beaming. "It's not a date and it's hardly our first meeting, either, so I'll have that vetoed."

"Just an advice."

"Not taken, as of now," she responded. "I don't really enjoy fancy places and my dates should know me well enough not to take me to places like this."

"You really like escargot, though."

"Absolutely!" Sakura beamed again, "One of my favourite food."

Sasuke raised his eyebrows, wondering why he felt so amused. "So you're going to hide that forever from your date?"

"No, not forever." She laughed. "Why, do you think I eat messily?"

That wasn't true. He had to admit that if she was good at one thing he knew of, it was eating escargot without looking like it took horrendous effort. He shook his head in response, and then ate his food quietly. When they were done, he paid, led her into his car, and offered to take her home.

"No."

"No?" he frowned.

"No," Sakura smiled sweetly. "I was instructed to have you drive me to your office, first, unless you're going to do something else."

He sucked on his breath, trying not to get annoyed and failing miserably, "Just how many things did Ino instruct you to do?"

"I have a list of about fifty things I have to do and more than fifty things I should do when you're not cooperating with me." Sakura laughed at his expression. "I don't think you'll be very interested to have me _show_ to you what they are."

"Is that what Ino gave you?" Sasuke frowned again. "A list of things that _torture_ me?"

"No, she gave me _lists_, Sasuke," she corrected him, and watched in amusement as his expression changed into one of suspicion.

"You're enjoying this _way _too much."

"Ah, but you can enjoy this too, if you let yourself," she replied cleverly, taking the list from him, and then added, "You know, the only thing that stops you from enjoying things is mostly yourself."

He shook his head and started his car engine, wondering what he was supposed to do now.

"So what's it gonna be?" Sakura asked, raising her eyebrows expectantly. "Your office, _willingly_, or somewhere else where I can run your 'cruel and unusual punishment'?"

"Neither," he replied, wiping his mouth on a napkin. "I have a better idea."

A boyish smirk was playing on his lips, charming and almost utterly captivating, and Sakura idly wondered why she suddenly found herself breathless.

xx

"No."

"Try it."

"_No_."

"_Try it_," Sakura persisted, looking annoyed. "I can't believe this. Ino did mention that you dislike some food, but to be afraid of _soft ice cream_?"

Sasuke scoffed. "I am not _afraid_ of soft ice cream."

"And I'm wondering why it's on top of _this_ list," Sakura replied sarcastically, still forcing him to eat the ice cream as she whipped out a list titled 'Things To Do When He's Not Cooperating'.

Distracted by the length of the list, Sasuke opened his mouth to comment on it, but Sakura used this opportunity to shove the ice cream into his mouth.

"Why are you doing this to me?" Sasuke asked, exasperated, as he wiped his mouth with a tissue, grabbing the cone from her hand and tossing it away into a nearby bin.

"You only had two choices," Sakura said, folding the list and tucking it into her purse for safekeeping, "Your office or your cruel and unusual punishment. It's not my fault you chose the second."

"I did not choose the second," he muttered under his breath, "I simply came up with another alternative."

"Which isn't better, in my opinion," Sakura said flatly, surveying her surroundings with dry interest. They were sitting on a bench near the outdoors swimming pool at her apartment, and no one was around. "Sure, I like to be at home, but I like to get my _work_ done before I go home every night."

Sasuke inhaled deeply and tried to calm himself. Here he was, thinking he could get away with driving her home, but she was definitely brighter than he gave her credit for. Other girls had simply been too dazzled by him when he drove them home that they didn't notice he _was_ driving them home, but Sakura wasn't like that. It had only been their fourth _hour_ together and already he was losing his cool.

"You know," she said quietly, suddenly breaking the silence, "If we're going to do this, we're better off doing this properly."

"If we're going to do what?" he asked.

"What Ino wants us to do," she said, studying him silently, and then smiled, "You know, I wondered if I made the right choice to agree with her, but I think I did. You're not as cruel as you purposefully make yourself seem to be."

Sasuke scowled darkly.

"Even with that look, no," Sakura said, smiling. "So, wouldn't you agree that we're going to do this properly?"

"Do I look like I have any other choice?"

"Point," she nodded in amusement. It was becoming clear to her why Sasuke wasn't figuring out ways to kill her yet or was very much reserved no matter what she did to him, and if she was right, it had everything to do with Ino. She wasn't about to question that any time soon, though—it wasn't time yet, and the time _would_ come, she believed in that, at least. "Then perhaps you should start by calling me by name. Because, well, you haven't called me by anything at all, you see."

He didn't seem to have trouble saying it as he said dully, "Sakura."

"Very nice!" Sakura clapped her hands. "At least we're done with that. What do you say we set the rules?"

"Do we _need_ rules?" Sasuke frowned. Whatever Ino was planning, it was becoming more and more troublesome by the day. He knew she meant well—she _always _meant well—but sometimes he wished he had the heart (and other times, the guts) to straightforwardly refuse her crazy ideas.

"Yes, since I'm going to want you to cooperate with me," she said, and then smiled wistfully, "And I really only have two."

Sasuke sighed and leaned back on the bench. "What are they?"

"You have to be honest with me. All the time."

"And the second one?"

She looked strangely pensive. "You have to give me a chance."

Sasuke stared at her—taking in the way the breeze caressed her pink hair, the fierce determination in her green eyes, the way she clasped her hands together so tightly, folded on her lap—and realized, all of a sudden, that she wasn't doing this without reason.

So he asked, "Why are you doing this?"

"Because," her smile was simple, sad, _honest_, "It's entirely my selfishness. I just need something to… distract me, shall we say, from thinking too much these days. Well, that, and I think you're a nice guy. Behind your cool, reserved exterior. Aren't you?"

He didn't reply, and it wasn't like he was going to admit it, but she was starting to _get_ to him.

"Also, you make me curious," she added.

"What?" Sasuke, for his part, couldn't help the surprise in his voice.

"No, Sasuke," she laughed, seeing his expression, "It's not a love declaration. I am not in love with you and I don't have any crush on you, I promise. In fact, I'm not totally over my ex-boyfriend, so don't you worry about that."

He clucked his tongue.

"This is what I propose: that we take it easy," Sakura told him. "Ino might have everything planned out perfectly already, but personally, you can't force love _or_ friendship, so we're going to go slow on this. I'm not expecting to see you every day or something, but… if we are going to be friends, we might as well be _good_ friends, right?"

Her eyes were twinkling in mild playfulness as she finished her sentence, but Sasuke was silent for a while, looking at her with watchful eyes, and then he finally spoke.

"Do you understand what you're doing?"

"Not completely," she laughed, "But we don't have to understand _everything_ right at the moment, do we? I'm learning. I'm trying, and I know this is better than just sitting around waiting for life to pass you by, _or_ throwing away everythingelse because…" she hesitated, "because you're too fixed on proving yourself. I'm not saying I have a better life than you, Sasuke. I'm just saying that… you don't need to be so fixed on one goal you forget everything else. It's good to be focused, but there is something called _too_ focused."

His eyes darkened, not missing the hidden implication in her voice. "Just how much do you know about me?"

She laughed. It was a tantalisingly wicked sound, and Sasuke realised he was _not_ prepared for this.

He cleared his throat. "Seriously."

"I have fact sheets," she gestured to her purse in dry humour, "Pages and pages of them. I'm planning on studying them later when you go home, but we can make a deal."

"What kind?"

"I can throw all of these away," Sakura replied, eyes suddenly mischievous, "and you can promise me you'll be completely honest with me."

Sasuke didn't know what it was—the way she smiled, the way her eyes shone with determination, or the crazy idea she was giving him—but he found himself smiling as he stared at her, smiling like he didn't do often these days, smiling like he used to, smiling like he sometimes _missed_.

She was right. If they were going to do this, they might as well be good friends.

So he stood up and offered his hand. "Uchiha Sasuke."

If she was surprised, she had the grace not to show it. Instead, her smile was blindingly bright as she rose to her feet and took his hand. Her hand was cold although her grip was firm.

"Hello," she said, "I'm Haruno Sakura. Pleased to meet you."

.

.

.

**tbc.**

* * *

**a/n:** Do remember that I'm open to constructive criticism and will try not to take it to heart, haha. That said, thanks for reading! :)


	9. ix

**a/n: **Happy New Year! Best wishes for all the days to come. :)

* * *

**nine.**

.

.

.

Four months into their so-called friendship, Sasuke had decided that Sakura was all kinds of weird.

First of all, she had this weird fashion sense that was just really… _unique_, for the lack of a better word, and while it bugged him endlessly at the beginning, he realized that the colours she chose rather complemented the colour of her hair. And her eyes, although this one he'd rather die than admit.

Secondly, she had really weird quirks. Like drinking tea only on weekends and needing one cup of coffee every morning to get her through the day—although the latter wasn't _weird_, admittedly. It was just that he was starting to get used to always buying her coffee-to-go every morning, from Starbucks—white chocolate mocha, two cubes of sugar, stirred well—and _that_ was definitely Weird with a capital W.

Thirdly, she could come up with the weirdest, most unexpected of statements during the weirdest, most unexpected of times. Like today, for example.

"Sasuke? I think you're hot."

For his part, Sasuke almost, _almost_ spluttered on his coffee, if only he hadn't years and years of practice of being in Naruto's company and receiving his almost equally weird, unexpected statements. With that and some practice of hearing his attractiveness spoken aloud, Sasuke had it all under control. Well, under control-ish.

"Just—what did you say?"

"Hot," Sakura replied dismissively, simple and plain, nodding wisely at him as she sipped her coffee. "You're hot."

He continued staring at her.

"Oh, look at you! So taken aback by such a simple statement," she chuckled, "Don't be so shy."

"I'm not shy."

"Of course not," she agreed soothingly. "You're just modest."

She was being sarcastic, he was sure of it.

"Anyway," she smiled brightly. "I just want you to know that I realise you're hot."

Sasuke frowned and arched his eyebrows, staring her down. If there was one thing he knew she would break under, it was his unwavering gaze.

Sakura looked into her coffee cup and pretended to be unaffected. When she looked up, her smile was nonchalant. "So Naruto called me last night."

"And of course Naruto's call was absolutely inspiring and thought-provoking," Sasuke's voice was dry and sarcastic.

In all honesty, he had been expecting Naruto to call Sakura from the start of their relationship. That idiot always, always meddled with his affair no matter who or what it involved, anyway, and although it was annoying, Sasuke was too used to it to be overly bothered. Naruto was like the male version of Ino, always trying to help Sasuke in little ways, although sometimes Sasuke was sure they defined 'help' differently to each other. What was it this time? Disapproval? Naruto seemed to have taken a liking to Sakura when they first met, and Sasuke knew it wasn't just a façade, but with their, um, _situation_, he wasn't sure if Naruto still felt the same way.

"As a matter of fact, it was. He opened my eyes about… certain things, shall we say."

Oh, he couldn't believe it. She was baiting him and he was actually buying it. "Such as?"

"Such as the fact that you've never really been in a relationship before," Sakura replied. "I mean, not really. You have flings, but that's about it."

_Of course_. Of course, out of all the things Naruto could worry for—like Sakura being a gold digger, an STD-infected prostitute, an _imaginary friend_, of course Naruto would have to worry about his lack of romantic relationships. And really, it wasn't that he was uninterested and inexperienced—coincidentally, he was actually neither, and he was most especially _not_ inexperienced. He just had different things in mind.

Sasuke looked at the woman sitting across him wearily. "You know, as my _special_ _friend_, you're very calm about this."

That made some sense. Although _special_ wasn't really the word he would have used if it wasn't so early in the morning. Needless to say, it seemed to get the point across all the same.

"Why should I be worried?" she asked, grinning mischievously, "You just told me I'm special."

"I would have used air quotes if they weren't so…" he paused, "undignified."

Sakura ignored him wisely and continued grinning.

Sasuke sighed, pride be damned. "So what are you getting at?"

Her smile subdued at once. "I have a proposition for you." She paused. "Well, for us."

"What is it?"

"There's this party I have to attend this Saturday and I need you to attend it with me." She was surprisingly calm, but the way her eyes slightly shook told him differently. He knew it—she never did like asking for help. She added, "As my partner."

Sasuke knew what that implied, what that meant. Taking their relationship to a higher level, except not exactly in the romantic sense. He _did_ own the Uchiha company, so it would only be expected if his private relationships interested other people. Appearing in public at an official function would mean starting public scrutiny, gossip, the like, about _him_. And a little bit of her. No bad publicity was bad publicity, he believed, but some publicity could be excessively and unnecessarily annoying. If it wasn't important, though, she wouldn't have asked for it. And it was somewhat true—they _were_ partners, in a sense, and they_ had_ a relationship, for the lack of a better word, although their definition of one wouldn't be so similar to other people's.

Their relationship consisted of many, many things, actually: midnight phone calls, drinks, dinners, lunches, late night coffee runs and sometimes Tenten's morning waffles at her apartment because Sakura apparently couldn't really cook to save her life. Her best bet was her almond cookies, and even that didn't turn out so well. Spending two days in his house, _nursed_ by the very woman who was the exact reason why he was lying sick, bedridden, wasn't something he took a liking to.

Despite that, Sasuke was sure that he didn't like Sakura _that_ way.

And despite _that_, he was very sure that _she_ didn't look at _him_ that way, either.

Their constant, blunt discussions made enough proof. What they had was based on their instinctive trust, on their mutual need for company and their mutual discovery that the other fit the bill just about nicely. It wasn't like he _needed_ her to survive, it wasn't like he missed her if she went one day without trying to contact him, and it wasn't any of those life-changing, earth-shattering kind of relationship.

So Sasuke looked up. "What's it to you?"

"Nothing you should concern yourself with," Sakura replied immediately, and then just waved dismissively when he quirked an eyebrow at her. "Besides, if you agree, you'll see for yourself."

The eyebrow rose higher. "And if I don't?"

"Then I'll look for someone else," she shrugged easily, stirring her coffee, "You're not my only male friend, you know—just… preferable."

He fought the urge to snicker at that. "What's it to _me_, then?"

"An eye for an eye," Sakura grinned charmingly. "One favour for one favour. Plus, I'll dress as prettily as possible and wear that gown you gave me last weekend."

"You're being awfully sure of yourself." He smirked. He liked that. "The gown's from Ino, by the way. She sent it over from Paris two weeks ago. I left you a note."

"I never got it," Sakura frowned. "Well, never mind that. I should thank her, then, the gown's _gorgeous_." Punching in a message in her Blackberry, she chuckled at him. "I should've known you wouldn't have any idea what gown I'd like."

Sasuke wisely ignored that. "So what makes you think _I_ want to see _you_ dress up?"

"Like I said, the gown is _gorgeous_." A teasing smile flitted across her face. "Secondly, you'll realize that you do when you actually _do_."

Her smile was smart and triumphant and he knew, just _knew_, that she was going to be right: one, that he was going to come with her to the function, and two, that he was going to want to see her all dressed up.

So Sasuke wisely chose to ignore that and returned it with a charming smirk of his own. Two could play at this game. "What time should I pick you up?"

"Six thirty." A winsome smile blossomed on her lips. "I promise you won't be disappointed."

xx

They ended up going at thirteen minutes past seven.

Sakura had spent more time in her bedroom, finalising her make up, her dress, her _everything_, and during the time she was busy, Sasuke was forced to sit down in front of the TV and watch _How I Met Your Mother_ reruns with Tenten, who was actually a really good conversationalist. She was just more often than not on the phone, and Sasuke was far too anxious, far too impatient to even care.

When Sakura finally came out of her room, all Sasuke wanted to do was to strangle her for taking so long, but then he saw her and all thoughts just disappeared from his mind.

So had his speaking ability, apparently.

"Cat got your tongue?" Sakura smirked.

It wasn't the dress, all swirls and twirls of golden thread combined into one absolutely breathtaking gown. It wasn't the make up, since she wasn't even heavily done. It wasn't even the—

Heck, he didn't know what it was, but she just looked… _different_.

Like good different.

Like really, _really_ good different.

He could hear Tenten softly chuckling behind his back and glared at her. How extremely degrading. The bun-haired woman simply covered her mouth and turned around, her back facing Sakura and Sasuke, the latter feeling as if he might die on the spot and rather thankful that he hid it well under his composure.

When he finally found his voice, he said, "Ready to go?"

"What do you think?" Instead of answering, Sakura twirled around him, the golden ends of her gown dancing. "Good enough for Uchiha Sasuke?"

He cleared his throat. "Only very nearly."

"Bastard," she punched him playfully, "I _tried_ for you."

"Charmed," he told her calmly, taking her hand in his. When she blushed red, oh so _red_, he brought it to his lips and smirked, his mouth moving against the back of her hand as he whispered, "Let's go."

xx

Somewhere not very far away, Uchiha Itachi was sipping his wine slowly.

He was used to having admirers—female admirers, for the most part, and the occasional male ones, oddly enough. It was the result of being an Uchiha _and_ being an Uchiha who, as they said in magazines, 'rebelled'.

Still, it didn't mean that he enjoyed having to deal with them all the time. They were incessantly annoying, sometimes, this one particularly so.

"No," he said for the nth time as someone—a woman, around thirty, brown eyes, yellow hair—asked him if he wanted to dance. He shook his head when she persisted, keeping his lips pressed thinly, his face devoid of any kind of emotion. Really, he wouldn't even come to this launching party if he had a choice—but Kisame was one of his closest friends, and that man wouldn't hesitate to _kill_ him if he opted out.

Not that Itachi cared, actually. Kisame was nowhere as strong as he was. He just thought that he might get into the mood while he was at it.

Itachi picked up a glass of mineral water and sipped, his watchful eyes wandering around the room. He knew most of the people—he was _Uchiha Itachi_, after all, and he took pride in being the life of every party in his earlier years.

Years that was long gone, actually, since he leaped at the first chance to escape. Being a pianist was hardly a stable career choice nor was it his dream job, but at that time, even that was way more preferable than what bearing the Uchiha name had to offer him.

Not that it was offered. He was rather forced to fight tooth and nail for it, and if he hadn't forced his way out himself, he would still be stuck in that black hole.

"Itachi."

Itachi looked to his side and raised his eyebrows when he was Hatake Kakashi—very brilliant, a little bit of a pervert; they took the same management courses back in university—standing beside him.

"Kakashi," he returned politely.

"I saw your brother just now," Kakashi informed, raising his wine glass and clinking it with Itachi's.

Itachi didn't flinch, but he rose his eyebrows. "My brother?"

Kakashi smirked. "Yeah. With a girl down the bar. Pretty little thing." Ignoring the hooded look in Itachi's eyes, he added casually, "Maybe you should go say hello?"

"Maybe I should," Itachi agreed. "See you around, Kakashi."

"Later," Kakashi waved his hand.

Itachi walked in the direction of the bar, his steps leisurely but confident. After he moved out nearly a year ago, his little brother refused to talk or even so much look his direction unless he really, really, really had to. Now would be the time to make amends, especially since he had a pretty girl with him—Ino, supposedly; no one else could handle the Uchiha brothers as well as she did—and Sasuke would never completely snap in front of Ino.

To his surprise and slight amusement, however, it wasn't Ino that he saw when he finally caught sight of Sasuke. It was another girl—pink hair, pretty although not quite stunningly beautiful the way Ino was, wide smile… and she actually got his little brother to loosen up. Sasuke was actually _relaxed_. His fists weren't clenched, his face wasn't taut, and he was actually sitting down by the bar instead of always standing up because he couldn't wait to get it over with and had no intention of hiding it.

_What an incredibly rare feat._

Itachi made his way down to the bar.

xx

Much like his brother, Sasuke was used to this kind of functions. What he wasn't used to, however, was having Sakura with him in this kind of functions. She didn't look the type that would get invited to parties like _this_, parties people like Hoshigaki Kisame hosted because she just… didn't really seem the type. If she were the daughter of someone whose name was widely known in the business world, he wouldn't be surprised. Introductions that led to engagements weren't very rare in his world—women who didn't have that prestigious a name but _still_ got invited, however, did make him question.

"Sakura."

"Yes?" She looked up from her glass.

Sasuke looked at her and tried to remember if he had known anyone named Haruno. He picked up his glass and sipped. "How well do you know Kisame?"

"Hoshigaki-san?" she tilted her head, her smile mysterious, "I don't personally know him."

Her answer, of course, didn't make Sasuke feel any more convinced. "Then how do you know him? You don't even work in the same industry."

"Well…" Sakura just continued to smile and waved her hand dismissively, "It's a long story, actually. I'd rather not tell you anything about it _now_," her smile turned teasing, "Why did you ask, Sasuke? Don't tell me you suddenly find me attractive and want to know everything there is to know about me."

"You wish. It would take me—"

His sentence was never finished, however, since someone had already cut in.

"Little brother."

Sasuke froze and his smile vanished from his lips, all signs of relaxation gone and replaced by wariness and a sense of anger.

"_You_."

"What a pleasant surprise," the man in front of them said mildly, "And who is this?"

"Haruno Sakura," Sakura smiled politely and gave a nod. She straightened up and folded her hands on her lap, looking up at the man—dark, dark eyes, very much like Sasuke's—and realizing that this person could very well be the reason why Sasuke was… why Sasuke was _Sasuke_.

"Uchiha Itachi. Nice to meet you, Haruno-san," the man told her pleasantly, and shook her hand. "Long time, Sasuke. How have you been?"

"It's none of your fucking business, so don't pretend like you care," Sasuke shot back heatedly.

Sakura's eyes opened wide, but she didn't say anything, staring into her glass. The ice was melting.

"My, aren't we ever so friendly?" Itachi commented, still smooth and his smile pleasant. "I didn't expect to see you here."

"And you think I did?" Sasuke retorted, suddenly standing up. He pushed his hands into his pocket and glared at Itachi. "Come on, Sakura, we're going."

"Eh? But—"

"We're _going_."

Quietly, she put down her glass and nodded hurriedly to Itachi, before taking large strides to catch up with Sasuke, who sauntered out of the ballroom and straight out of the hotel without even once looking back. They were in his car when she finally dared to break the silence.

"You didn't tell me your brother is in Japan."

Sasuke's fist clenched over the steering wheel, his lips pressed into a thin line and his face scarily taut and tense. When he spoke, his voice was cold. "He's not my brother."

"But he said—"

"He's _not_ my brother."

"Okay," Sakura relented carefully, fiddling with her purse. She could be annoyed because she had spent much more time dressing up than enjoying what she had dressed up for, or she could be worried about him because he seemed to _need_ that, even though he didn't even realize that himself. Softly, she asked, "Is that why you didn't want to talk to him?

"Sakura, shut _up_."

She didn't reply, quietly watching him as he started the car engine, his eyes focused to the front all the while, completely ignoring her. They were already in front of her apartment parking lot when Sakura dared to speak for the second time.

"Are you sure you don't want to talk about it?"

"Yes."

Slowly, she unbuckled her seatbelt. "Maybe next time, then," she said softly.

"Maybe never."

"Sasuke—"

"If you're about to launch into another speech of how you made a promise with Ino, save it, okay?" Sasuke glared at her. "I don't need one of those tonight."

She shut her mouth tightly, hurt, and looked away.

"Look," Sasuke closed his eyes and massaged his temple, before opening his eyes to look at her. "The man is trouble, all right? I don't want to associate with him in any way or form and I don't need _you_ to associate with him in any way or form."

He looked so livid that Sakura decided against protesting, instead settling for a soft, calm, "Don't I get a say in this?"

"No."

She looked at him for a few seconds, and then threw up her hands. "Fine."

_Now_ he looked surprised. "Fine?"

"Fine," she repeated, turning her back at him as she unbuckled her seatbelt and reached for the door handle, "I'll see you sometime. Maybe." She opened the door and climbed out. "Thanks for driving me home, I appreciate it."

Sasuke ran his hand over his hair and climbed out of the car as well. "Sakura, don't be like this."

"Don't be like what?" Sakura asked, giving him a long look. "I'm not being like anything at all." A few seconds of silence passed between them before she finally sighed. "I really don't mean you any harm, you know that, right?" I don't mean you any harm. And…" her face softened. "And I hope you can believe me."

When Sasuke didn't reply, she left.

.

.

.

**tbc.**

* * *

**a/n:** So sorry if it takes me weeks to reply to your messages/questions, I only open this site whenever I'm about to update, and often times I lose track of what I have replied to and what I haven't. That said, the quickest, easiest way to get to me will be through my Tumblr, and I'll be more than happy to talk to you there. Thanks a lot, and once again, have a happy new year! (:


	10. x

**a/n: **Hi guys, thanks again for your support! Enjoy Chapter 10. :)

* * *

**ten.**

.

.

.

It had been two weeks since she last met Sasuke.

To be honest, Sakura didn't really know what to do. On one hand, she was a little annoyed that he had made no attempt at trying to reconcile with her, even after she had so dutifully messaged and called him. On the other hand, this was _Sasuke_, after all, and if there was something she absolutely knew about Sasuke it was that not only he was goddamned stubborn, he too had too much pride for his own good. Awkward situations would never be his thing, especially after they parted on not-so-well terms after that one party.

At the moment, though, she was just tired.

Sighing, Sakura observed the line of magazines in front of her. She had decided to go out for lunch, but then didn't actually have lunch since for some reason she just didn't feel like eating. Going to the bookstore was her only consolation, now that Tenten was busy working on her latest novel and Sakura didn't have the heart to distract her from it.

She picked up a random magazine and started flipping through it, only stopping when she noticed someone hovering around her.

"Haruno Sakura."

Sakura looked up. Her first thought when she saw the man in front of her was: _oh my god it's Uchiha Itachi_, while her second thought was how undeniably stupid she looked then, with her mouth hanging open and her expression dumbstruck.

"Uchiha-san," she returned, putting the magazine back on the shelf.

"Your office receptionist thought that I might find you here."

Sakura immediately straightened up, her eyes guarded. "How did you—?"

"I pulled some strings," Itachi replied, a hint of arrogance across his emotionless face.

She swallowed. "So you were looking for me."

"As a matter of fact, yes," he said, looking at her with dark, dark eyes, and then held out a hand, "I want to talk to you about several matters of importance, if you would be so kind to spare me some time, Haruno-san."

He was smiling down at her, and Sasuke's words flashed in her mind—the man was trouble, Sakura, _trouble_—and she knew she was supposed to say no to him right from the moment she saw him, but whoever was standing in front of her, his hand outstretched and his smile polite, didn't seem like a bad person to her.

So she nodded and took his hand, and the next thing she knew, they were seated across each other at her favourite restaurant down the block already.

"So how long have you known Sasuke, Haruno-san?" Itachi asked, once they were settled in and their orders came out.

"Not very long," Sakura responded, fingering her handbag under the table. "Why?"

"It's not very often I see my brother around any woman who, frankly, is not our childhood friend," he looked at her impassively, his tone matter-of-fact, "I was worried that he would never be interested in anyone, but my, that worry is wasted now."

She smiled nervously. "What do you want to talk to me about, Uchiha-san?" Itachi might not spell trouble for her at the moment, but she could _so_ do without being involved in any kind of complicated familial relationships. Her own family was complicated enough; she didn't need anyone else's to be put into the mix.

"Don't you want to know what happened between us, Haruno-san?"

Sakura raised her eyebrows dubiously. "Are you really going to tell me if I say yes?"

"Judging from your reaction, I am going to assume that Sasuke has told you nothing about us." He looked at her pleasantly. "Haruno-san, I'm sure you realise that my brother is very possessive. Did it ever cross your mind that if I were the one to tell you the whole story, his reaction might not be very… friendly?"

"To be honest, he's already angry at me at the moment," Sakura shrugged. "If it counts at something, however, I would still prefer him to tell me about it rather than you. It would save all of us a lot of trouble, I believe."

"Smart," Itachi commented, leaning back on his chair to give her an appraising look, "I can see why he chooses you, now."

"I'm sorry to burst your bubble, Uchiha-san, but we're just friends," she responded dryly. "And to be frank, he's not my type. I prefer guys who are more… _talkative_, for the lack of a better word, shall we say."

"What a pity."

"I don't think it is," Sakura laughed mildly. "As his brother, you should be aware that I am nowhere near his type too."

"Well, you never know."

"Perhaps. But I doubt this is what you wish to talk about with me, Uchiha-san."

"Itachi."

"I'm sorry?"

"Call me Itachi," he told her, a strange smile fleeting across his face. "The name Uchiha does not always sit well with me, especially if used by women who know my brother the way you do."

She smiled wryly. "Should I take that as a compliment or an insult?"

"The former, preferably."

"The former, then."

"Duly noted," Itachi said. "Would you mind if I ask you one question?"

"You already did, so why don't you?"

Itachi picked up his teacup and sipped carefully. "You don't want to hear it from me, so would you mind asking Sasuke to tell you?"

Sakura raised her eyebrows. She hadn't expected _that_, of all things. "Why?"

"I think he trusts you." His smile was mild and pleasant that it was a little unnerving. "And I think it will do him some good to tell somebody who is… completely unrelated with what happened."

"Is it that bad?" Sakura asked, suddenly wary. "From what you and Ino have been telling me, from his reaction, from what he _hasn't_ been telling me… I don't know, it sounds like it's a horrible, horrible thing."

Itachi pressed his lips into a thin line, and then broke out laughing a little. "I can see why you are worried about that."

"Well, is it?"

"You tell me," he challenged her, smiling again, "When he finally tells you, that is. Are you scared?"

"No, although I wonder if I should be."

"That should be enough then."

"Really."

"Really," he assured her, "Can you do that for me, Haruno-san?"

"To be honest, I don't know if I should trust you or not," she told him bluntly, "But since I think Sasuke likes to keep things to himself and I think that's the death of him himself, then yes, I will do it. But not for you. For him."

"That's good enough for me," Itachi said. "That's all I'm asking from you."

"Then yes."

The dark-haired man paused, and then smiled as he stood up, offering his hand, "Thank you, Haruno-san. It was nice to meet you."

"Nice to meet you, too." Sakura took his hand. "For the record, you can call me Sakura, too. So we're on equal terms, now."

Itachi looked a little surprised, but then it morphed into amusement, clear in his eyes. "I will see you around, I hope."

She smiled wryly. "Do you promise it's for the best?"

"Oh, no." He shook his head. "No one can promise such a thing, I'm afraid… but I promise you it _can_ be."

xx

To say Sasuke was surprised when Sakura barged into his office that night was an understatement. He was just cleaning up, ready to go home. He would never admit it, especially not in front of her face, but he was getting used to the idea of not staying all night long in the office. Several weeks ago she cleaned up his apartment when he was away on a two-day business trip—bought coasters, new sheets, new pillows and all that jazz—and ever since, it was starting to feel a little like home in there than before.

Because in truth, Sasuke was a little dumbfounded. He didn't expect her to come to see _him_; he had always thought he would have to be the one restarting the whole process again because, well, he was the one being rude last time. And he _had_ planned on seeing her. He just hadn't had the… well, he just hadn't gotten around to actually doing it.

"Sakura."

"Sasuke!" she smiled pleasantly. "Fancy seeing you here."

"What are you doing here?"

"I'm tired of playing chase with you, Sasuke. I figure the best way to have you see me is, well, to come here. Turns out I was right," Sakura said, crossing her arms across her chest, "So you've been ignoring me. No need to deny it; we both know it's true." When Sasuke didn't say anything, she continued, "Anyway, that's not what I want to talk to you about. I just think that since honesty is the base of our relationship, I better keep to it and tell you that I had lunch with Uchiha Itachi today."

Sasuke raised his eyebrows. "I'm not sure I heard you right."

"You did," Sakura told him. "I really had lunch with Uchiha Itachi today."

"Even after I told you to _stay the hell away_ from him?"

She stepped forward until she was right in front of him, and watched as his eyes darkened. She had expected that he would be angry—his reaction at every mention of Itachi's _name_ was enough proof—but she hadn't expected his eyes to be filled with so much agony, so much emotion that her heart hurt a little.

"Would you please listen to me first?" Sakura asked, her voice soft. "I was at the bookstore when he approached me. We had lunch together and talked some, Sasuke. That's all. I'm pretty sure he didn't mean any harm."

"You're sure," Sasuke replied, mildly sarcastic.

She looked at him, almost tired, but she knew that above anything else, he could do without anyone getting tired or giving up on him. So she didn't.

"I'm not proud of breaking my promise, Sasuke," she added, even more softly, "You of all people should know that."

He just looked at her.

"And as much as you won't believe me," she continued, biting her lip, "I… I honestly think he's worried, Sasuke. About you."

"Worried about me," Sasuke said, his voice drenching with sarcasm and disbelief, "You think he's _worried_ about me."

"He doesn't seem like a bad man."

"I know him a lot longer than you have," snapped Sasuke.

"I'm not questioning that, not at all," she said patiently, "From what Ino's been telling me—"

"Ino," he interrupted, "had a crush on Itachi when we were younger."

"That doesn't make her care for you any less."

"You weren't there."

Sakura bit her lip, and then said, very, very quietly, "Then maybe you should tell me about it."

"Tell you about _what_?"

"What happened between you and Itachi," she replied, playing with the binder clip on his desk. As she pressed on the metal handles, it snapped up, jumped off her fingers, and the sheets of paper it formerly held together flew to the floor. She crouched down to pick it up. Looking up to meet his eyes, she added, her voice stronger, "What _really_ happened."

It didn't take Sasuke more than a second to reply, and when he did, his face was blank and his voice was devoid of any emotion. "Nothing happened."

"It doesn't seem like so."

"What would you know about that?" Sasuke shot back heatedly.

Carefully, she stacked the papers into a neat pile at the edge on his desk. "He offered to tell me what happened between you two."

"Of _course_ you would trust him more than me," he replied, voice dripping with venom.

"Actually, Sasuke, I don't trust him at all because _you_ said not to," Sakura said, kneeling down once more. The binder clip was missing and she'd be damned if she gave him another reason to be angry at her. "I rejected his offer to tell me what happened. I said no."

Sasuke stopped on his tracks. "You said no?"

"I said no," she clarified. "I want to hear it from you, and just you."

"You're well aware that I may not tell you anything."

"Yes," she replied, "I was hoping you would, though." Her head bumping the corner of his desk, she groaned loudly. "Okay, now, where the _hell_ is that clip?"

Sasuke sighed and bent down to pick up an object from the floor near his feet. "Here."

"Oh." Sakura looked up. "Thanks."

In response, he closed his eyes and massaged his temple. "What will you do if I say no?"

She gave him a long, long look, those emerald eyes of her glinting in what he could never identify, and then shrugged easily, breaking eye contact, "What can I do? I'll wait until you say yes."

"You wouldn't go running off to find Itachi."

"Um, no," she said, looking at him strangely. "Honestly, Sasuke, what do you take me for? I think it's obvious that I trust _you_ more than him. I also don't have his contact details, so even if I hypothetically want to, I literally can't. Besides, I'm not that gullible."

"Says the girl who agreed to let me drive her home even though she didn't know who I was," Sasuke countered.

Sakura raised her eyebrows, surprised. "So you do remember."

"You were one of the most trusting people I know," he told her dryly. "Still are."

She looked at him wryly, "Should I take that as a compliment or an insult?"

He shrugged, "Whichever you want. It was the former."

"This is why I think Itachi can't be all bad, Sasuke," Sakura smiled this time when he raised a questioning brow, "Because he's a bit like you. Sure, people that are alike can be completely different when it comes to it, but with you two, I think I can tell."

"You think you can tell," Sasuke's voice was disbelieving, but she had expected that.

"I thought you were nice deep down even when you were being a jerk to me," she told him bluntly, shrugging, "So yes, don't you think it's safe to say that I really _can_ tell, sometimes?"

He didn't do so much as flinch, but he kept his gaze trained at her for a long time. When she stared back at him, he finally sighed heavily.

"What do you want to know?"

Sakura's eyes softened, and she squeezed his hand. "I'm on your side, if it's anything."

Sasuke looked at her again, his dark eyes searching hers, and then he said, "Yeah."

xx

A couple of minutes later, Sakura found herself staring out of the window of Sasuke's apartment, mesmerized. This wasn't the first time she had been here, but this was the first time she visited during night time, and the night view from here was _beautiful_. She could see a thousand city lights, from cars, buildings, power plants, and she could even see the stars in the sky. She wished she had seen this sooner; she would have appreciated the apartment a lot more.

"Like it?" Sasuke asked from behind her. He held out a cup of tea.

She took the cup from him and sipped gratefully. "Yeah. I can't believe you prefer your office to this, Sasuke."

He just smirked and motioned for her to sit on the couch, "Itachi was my parents' favourite," he said, "The Uchiha Company was supposed to go to him."

Sakura didn't say anything. The thought of siblings competing for the riches was never very pretty.

"He left one year before they decided to officially hand it to him," Sasuke continued, "Left to become a fucking _pianist_. My parents didn't agree, but he was their eldest son, their favourite, so what could they say? They passed away in a car accident a month later."

Automatically, she whispered. "I'm sorry."

"No need to be." His voice was dry. "It was probably meant to be."

She didn't say anything as she put a hand on his arm, staring at his face. He looked so deadpan, so uncaring, so matter-of-fact that her heart ached for him. She didn't completely understand him, maybe, not quite _fully_, but all of a sudden she really, really wanted to.

"Okay," she said carefully, "Then what?"

Sasuke shot her a wry look, and then raised his eyebrows, "You really want to know, don't you?"

"Only if you want to tell me," she replied, just as quiet, "If you don't, well, you can stop now. I told you, didn't I? We made a deal that we're going to take this—whatever _this_ is—slow, and that's the only way we're taking it. If you don't want to tell me anything _now_, well, you don't have to. All I want is for you to be honest with me all the time. If you don't want to, then say so. I don't want to be the one forcing you to do things you don't want to do."

He smirked, and for a second he was so _Sasuke_ that her heart skipped a beat. "Do you really think you can force _me_ to do things I don't want, Sakura?"

"Haven't I done so before?" she asked, a bright smile lighting across her lips. "I had you accompany me to that party, didn't I? It didn't end well, but I did make you do things you didn't want to. You can't _not_ admit that."

"I was being nice."

"You were being nice _for _me," she shot back, grinning, "That ought to count for something, yes?"

Sasuke glared at her. "I refuse to talk to you if you're going to be like this."

She rolled her eyes. "Fine, but know that you're being so childish."

"Childish," he said, "is _not_ a word you can use with me."

Sakura just shook her head, and when he glared at her once more, patted his hand soothingly, grinning.

Sasuke looked at her for a long time, and then sighed in defeat. There was something about her that made him _trust_ her, just like that. He was probably being too gullible, something he hadn't been for a very, very long time, but for some reason he just didn't care. He wasn't used to telling people about _this_, but so many things had been changing in his life (like having coasters on his dining table), he didn't see why _one_ new thing could have a drastic effect on anything anyway.

So he continued. "I had to step up since Itachi left and no one else could take care of the company."

"Was that what you wanted, Sasuke?"

"Did I have any other choice?"

"It's only fair that you do," she said carefully.

"Perhaps," he agreed, "But that wasn't the case, then."

"Why not?"

"Because there was no one else, Sakura," replied Sasuke, a little impatiently, "and it was our family's pride. I couldn't just… leave, like that."

"I see," she said thoughtfully, "Is that why you're angry at Itachi?"

"He took things for granted, Sakura," he said, anger suddenly flashing in his eyes, "Everything I wanted was offered to him on a silver platter, and the next thing all of us knew, he walked out the door, claiming that this wasn't the life he wanted. I would have fought tooth and nail for the things he was offered, but he didn't want them. He left, they fought _for_ him, and when they didn't win him back, it was suddenly all me."

She could almost, _almost_ hear the sadness in his voice, but she wasn't sure of she just imagined it.

"I was their second choice," Sasuke spat. "Always had been. Always will be, too."

Sakura interrupted. "I'm sure that's not true."

His smile was bitter. "You don't know the rest of us."

"Who is this 'us'?" she asked back, "The rest of the Uchiha family? What do they want from you, anyway?"

"You don't get it," he said, "They don't wantanything from me. They want Itachi."

Sakura paused, surprised at the sudden burden in his eyes, "Do you really think that way?"

"I _know_ it's always been that way."

"So that's why you've been trying to prove yourself," Sakura said, more to herself than him, and then straightened up, "but I'm sure that Itachi doesn't want you to do that, Sasuke. I may not be the best judge of character, but I can tell that he doesn't hate you. In fact, I think he's worried about you."

"Don't make guesses," he scowled. "Why does his opinion matter, anyway?"

"Because he cares for you," she replied softly. "Because he _cares_ for you, and the rest of the Uchihas don't if they only make you think that Itachi is better and you're not worth anything. Hey, you're the _CEO_, Sasuke, and the company is doing amazing! That ought to count for something, right?"

"The company isn't doing _amazing_," he looked at her, annoyed, "We're doing fine."

"And what's wrong with that? It's so much better to be fine than... I don't know, disastrous?"

"They think Itachi could have done better."

"He could have done worse."

He sighed. "They don't know that."

"Exactly!" she clasped her hands together, "So how would _you_ know that either?"

"But—"

"Sasuke, shut up," Sakura said, turning around to face him once more, "He could have, would have, might have, but didn't, and isn't that what _should_ matter?"

Sasuke looked at her in annoyance, and then groaned. "You just can't get it into your head, can you?"

"_You_ just can't get it into _your_ head," she shot back. "I know it's not a simple or trivial matter, but please keep that in mind. It _shouldn't _matter. Okay?"

He turned his head away, refusing to meet her eyes.

Sakura was silent for a few minutes, before she said, "The company's not the whole problem, is it? It's also... Ino, right?"

"Ino?" Sasuke stared at her incredulously. "Where the _hell_ did you get this from?"

"She told me you've known each other since you were toddlers," she said, smiling gently, "And for you to be really good friends up until now is something special, is it not?"

He looked at her, annoyed. "What are you implying?"

"Nothing," she paused. "But I _do _have an inkling that you might be in love with her."

"With _Ino_?" Sasuke looked at her disbelievingly. "You can't be serious."

"She _is_ special, though." It was a statement, but Sakura's voice had a questioning edge to it.

Sasuke paused, and then sighed. _Oh, why bother_. "Yes."

"May I ask why, if you're really not in love with her?"

He straightened up. "Ino thinks that I stole the company from Itachi. Like the rest of the world does, truth be told. That was the story that somehow got leaked in the media, so that's what the rest of the world believes."

"She thinks that you stole the company from your brother, and she becomes special _then_," Sakura said, "I'm sorry, but I'm not quite following."

"Ino thinks I'm the reason Itachi left to pursue music," Sasuke started to explain, "They got their timeline messed up, and besides, the first time Itachi left, he did so secretly. The company wasn't so big then, so it was easy to cover up certain things. Itachi's _first_ leaving was not published because at that time, we weren't so influential and that story didn't interest the media. The second time he did was after my parents passed, and that… well, that caught the attention, alright." He chuckled, low and dry and sarcastic. "I was the greedy brother."

"That's not very nice."

"No, but I never expected it to be." He shook his head. "It was a tough ride, and… and Ino was there. All along, she stayed by my side and told me that I didn't need to prove myself to everyone. I wasn't trying to prove myself to _everyone_—I was only trying to prove myself to… well, myself. She was there, though, all the time, when I thought everyone was going to leave because of what they thought I did. I was the greedy brother, after all, and Itachi was the favourable one. But she was there, and… I suppose that's why she's so special."

"Oh, Sasuke," Sakura bit her lip. "You should have told her the truth."

"It would break her heart if I did," Sasuke replied, "She honestly liked Itachi."

"And were you jealous?"

"If I had been, I don't remember it. It doesn't matter."

"Maybe not, but I'm sure she would believe you if you told her the truth."

"I didn't want to."

"I know."

"Do you think I was wrong?" he suddenly asked, "To hide the truth from her?"

Sakura straightened up nervously, her gaze wavering but she kept her eyes trained on his. Slowly, she reached out to hold his hand, her fingers tentative. "I think you did what you could under the circumstances," she paused, and then added, "And I think that's enough, Sasuke. I think that's something you should be proud of. Not everyone can do that, you know, especially under pressure, but I think you did well. What I think may never matter, but just… realize that at the very least, you've done everything you could."

Sasuke raised his eyebrows. "You actually believe me."

"Um, yeah." She tilted her head, confused. "Am I not supposed to?"

He looked at her, and wondered why the hell he just opened up, just like that. Perhaps it was the way _she_ looked at him, so trusting, so naive like no one should be, especially not with him. Perhaps it was the way she looked so sad when he implied that he might not trust her all that much. He didn't know what it was; he was just very, very aware that he just told her his darkest secret, and that she was still_ here. _

She didn't run away. Didn't judge him like he thought she would. Didn't leave and deem him a bastard.

Instead, she had told him it was enough. Said that he did well under the circumstances. Held his hand.

Believed in him.

"I thought you wouldn't," Sasuke replied truthfully.

"Why wouldn't I?" Sakura asked, still confused. "I don't understand."

"You met Itachi, haven't you?"

She rolled her eyes. "Yes, just today."

"I thought you would believe him more."

"Why would I?"

Because he was used to that, he thought. Because he was used to everyone trusting Itachi more than they did him. Because Itachi was older, and therefore seen as wiser, more knowledgeable, more trustworthy, than he ever would be. Because even _Ino_ believed Itachi more than him, and that had been one of the biggest blows in his life.

"Sasuke?"

But this was new, this was a _change_, and change, apparently, was the only constant thing in his life.

"I told you—and Itachi—that I only want to hear about the important things from you," she added, her eyes softening, "And to be fair, I think he's genuinely worried about you. He wanted me to ask you about it, said that it'll be better if you can… just let whatever is inside that pretty head of yours."

"'Pretty head of yours'?" Sasuke raised his eyebrows, "I doubt he said that."

"He didn't. That was just me."

"So you think I'm pretty."

"And you're getting out of topic," she shot back, "For the record, I told you already that I think you're hot. Pretty is just another way of saying it."

"Pretty," Sasuke said, shaking his head as he put his arms around her, all of a sudden, "is not the word I'm looking for."

"Yeah?" Sakura blinked, surprised at the sudden warmth around her, but managed to keep her surprise under control as she said, "Well, that's all I have for now."

"Yeah. Pretty," he continued, "suits _you_ better."

Hearing that, she blushed. Really, _really_ blushed, and for a moment she thought she was going to die. She just _blushed_. In front of _Sasuke_. Because he told her she was pretty. Her vision was suddenly a little distorted. She grasped his arm and tried to stand still.

"Are you—" she gasped, "Are you _flirting_ with me?"

"No," he shook his head, obviously amused, "Not yet, anyway."

"Sasuke!"

"Don't worry." His voice was low when he spoke, pulling her to her feet. "We have time."

_Time for what, _she wanted to ask, and braced herself as she looked at him, her eyes meeting his. His eyebrows raised, he stared back at her impassively, not at all bothered by their close proximity.

And then Sakura decided that it didn't matter.

"That we do," she said, her voice suddenly calm, allowing herself to be led. Her eyes widened when he turned on the stereo and a soft, classical tune filled the air. "Um, Sasuke, what are you doing?"

"Be quiet," he told her, "Just follow my lead."

.

.

.

**tbc.**


	11. xi

**a/n: **Ack, so sorry for forgetting to update last weekend. It completely slipped my mind until someone sent me a reminder on Tumblr, haha. Enjoy this chapter. (:

* * *

**eleven.**

.

.

.

Perhaps by habit rather than actual discipline, Sakura was an early riser. She was the type of person who, no matter what time she slept, would wake up around seven every morning.

Right now, though, she just couldn't care less. She could just stay asleep _forever_; the bed was so comfortable, the sheets so silky and smooth, the pillow so soft…

Probably because they weren't hers.

Sakura blinked. Or she thought she did, because her eyes were closed, and could one actually blink when their eyes were closed? This bed wasn't hers. The sheets weren't hers. The pillow wasn't hers.

_My god, what am I doing here?_

A surge of panic washing over her, Sakura woke up with a start and screamed when her foot touched over something—something soft, something _warm_—prompting a hoarse "Fuck! What the hell?" from that something, and screamed some more when she saw what—or rather _who_—it was.

"S-Sasuke! Why are you here?"

"_You_!" Sasuke was brimming with murderous intent as he put a protective hand over his stomach. "How _dare_ you kick me!"

"But why are you _here_?"

"This is _my_ room, you _tool_." Sasuke glared.

"Your room. It's _your_ room." Sakura's eyes widened as she looked around, and then pulled the sheets tighter around her in panic. "What the hell am I doing here?"

"You fell asleep last night when we were talking," he told her flatly, massaging his pained stomach, "I was nice enough to bring you inside."

She looked at him warily, eyes narrowed. "You didn't do anything, did you?"

"Me? To you?" he stared at her incredulously. "You have got to be joking."

"You might have," she insisted, peering at herself below the sheets. Okay. Clothes still all there. She even had her _shoes_ on. Okay, it didn't look like he did anything at all.

"Just how low am I in your eyes, Sakura?"

"Not very low," she decided to say, and then grinned, "After all, you have a nice bed. You should tell me where you bought your furniture."

He rolled his eyes and sat down on the armchair in the corner of his room, studying her for a moment. He wondered why she wasn't completely freaking out because if it was up to him, she _would_ be completely freaking out. He might not be the type to… take advantage of helpless women, but seriously! She was acting way too comfortable around him, perhaps sort of like the way she acted around _Tenten_, and for some reason, this rather displeased him.

The fact that it _did_ displease him, though, displeased him even more greatly that Sasuke covered his face with a hand and berated himself inwardly.

"I got you some clothes," he said when he noticed her looking at him, gesturing to the bag on the bed.

"Yeah?" Sakura tilted her head and looked at the bag she immediately recognised. "Where from?"

"Tenten."

She raised her eyebrows. "So Tenten knows I spent the night here."

"Well, yes," Sasuke replied, unfolding the newspaper and then looked at her from over it. "Is there any problem with that?"

"Nah," she shrugged. "She already thinks I have a huge crush on you anyway, so she'll probably throw a congratulatory party or something when I get home tonight. It's not a big deal."

He raised his eyebrows but said nothing as she picked up the bag and brought it with her into the bathroom. Twenty minutes later she emerged out, refreshed and ready.

Brushing her hair, she turned to look at him. "Why are you awake so early, anyway?" It was ten, and it was hardly early, but considering that they… danced (or tried to dance) and talked until two AM, it _was_ kind of early. Kind of.

"Ino called this morning," replied Sasuke, "She's flying in today."

Her face brightened. "Really?"

"We're picking her up from the airport later tonight."

A mischievous smirk curved her lips. "_We_?"

"Until then, I'm going to take you out," Sasuke said, his tone flat and his face deadpan.

She studied him carefully. "On a date?"

"On a date," he clarified, eyes watching her as if challenging her to object.

Sakura, of course, never dreamt to. "Fine," she said, smiling brightly, her eyes dancing in anticipation. "Let's see what Uchiha Sasuke's dates are like, then."

Sasuke was never so pleased to receive another challenge.

xx

Having a best friend, of course, had its perks. Like knowing that someone would always worry about you if something presumably strange happened. Well, that, or tease you.

"Tenten, honestly, _nothing_ happened," Sakura whispered into the phone, covering her face with a hand. She had been trying to convince Tenten that nothing, absolutely _nothing_, happened between her and Sasuke last night for the last three minutes, but it wasn't working. Maybe because Tenten was giggling so loudly that it clouded whatever judgment Sakura was trying to shoot into her head. "I just fell asleep, okay? That's it!"

"Of course you did." Tenten was laughing from the other end, sarcasm dripping from her voice. "You _always_ fall asleep at a man's room, don't you?"

"Tenten!" Sakura groaned desperately. "I'm going to cut you off, now."

Tenten laughed again, and then abruptly turned serious. "Okay, okay, I understand. Where are you now?"

"In a toilet at a theme park."

"Really?" Tenten sounded amazed. "He took you out on a date to a _theme park_? Uchiha Sasuke? Really?"

"I had the same reaction," Sakura agreed. She _was_ indeed surprised when Sasuke drove into a theme park. He was, after all, er, _Sasuke_, and from the looks of it, theme parks didn't seem like his area of expertise. "I wouldn't know, though."

"Well, but you love theme parks!"

"I most certainly do."

"Then isn't that good?" Tenten's voice was teasing.

Sakura glared at her reflection in the mirror because there was no one else to glare at. "Only because I love theme parks, and not because I have a crush on him."

Tenten didn't say anything for a moment, and then asked, "You sure?"

"Yes. No. Maybe."

"You do realise what you just said to me, yes?" When Sakura didn't reply, Tenten simply chuckled. "Well, I gotta go now. I'll see you later, babe. Call me if anything… _fun_ comes up."

"Tenten!" Sakura started to protest, but the connection was off. Taking a deep breath, she looked at herself in the mirror. Okay, whatever _this_ was, she simply didn't expect to find herself in a theme park with Sasuke. It almost felt like a real date. Putting her phone back into her handbag, she stepped out and met Sasuke outside.

"You're late," he frowned when he saw her.

She raised her eyebrows. "For what?"

"The ferry," Sasuke replied, gesturing to the ferry in the distance, "the one that _was_ due to take us to the island."

"We're not spending the day here?"

"In a _theme park_? Are you serious?" He gave her a look. "I don't do high school dates anymore, Sakura."

"Ah," she smiled, "but we missed the ferry."

"Because of you."

"So we're spending the day here, yes?"

He looked at her grudgingly. "Only until the next ferry comes. In two hours."

"Great!" she clapped her hand triumphantly. "Then let's go on a ride!"

Speechless, Sasuke couldn't say anything as she laughed and pulled him away to queue for the roller coaster.

"You are like a little kid," he accused her as they waited.

"That's nicer than being like a _grumpy_ little kid," she beamed at him. As soon as he realized the implications of her words, he glared at her but she only laughed. "So I gather than you don't usually take your dates out to the theme park."

"I only come here for the ferry," he returned scathingly. "None of them took as long as you did in the toilet."

"Tenten called," Sakura told him, feeling defensive, "And she was… insufferable. So I had to convince her that nothing happened. That took longer than expected when she found out we're in a theme park, because, well, I love theme parks."

"You like thrilling rides."

"Yes."

"Why?"

"Because, they're, well," she rolled her eyes, "_thrilling_. Obviously."

He sighed. "I've never met anyone like you."

She laughed. "I've never met anyone like you, either."

Frowning, Sasuke turned to watch the line of people queuing for the roller coaster. He had a feeling that this would take well over fifteen minutes, and he never did like waiting.

"So what's on the island?" Sakura asked in an attempt to distract him from being grumpy.

"An Italian restaurant," Sasuke replied, "Sort of like a rest area. It's supposed to have a really nice view."

"You've never been there before?"

"No," he replied, "but Naruto has."

"And you're following his footsteps."

"No. I pride on originality," he rolled his eyes, "The guy only cares about food, if you haven't noticed."

"He's such a sweet guy, though," Sakura commented lightly. "Does he have any girlfriend?"

"No," Sasuke raised his eyebrows. "Interested?"

She grinned. "Well, I already have my eyes on _someone,_ so it would be unfair to him."

Meeting her eyes, he returned her grin with a smirk of his own. "How very interesting."

Smiling, she replied, "Indeed."

xx

Sakura was utterly confused.

Well, _happily_ confused, though she would rather die than admit it.

She had spent the day taking on all kinds of different rides in the theme park, successfully dragging him with her, much to his chagrin. The roller coaster had taken longer than she thought it would, effectively making them late for the second ferry. Another round of rides and it was suddenly dark and Sasuke _insisted_ that they take the third ferry to the island. As she was, she knew Sasuke deserved some part of the date to make it go the way he wanted it, so she agreed. Clichéd as it might be, they had planned to watch the sunset together—only it didn't happen because it rained, hard, and they were forced to sit inside the nice restaurant on the island to wait until the rain subsided. Now, that was three hours ago, and she was sitting in a really nice Italian restaurant—Sasuke was right, the view was _amazing_, especially at night—and eating the best meals she had had in a while. They didn't even have to pick up Ino since she arrived earlier than thought and Naruto picked her up.

And now she found herself sitting there, cornered in Sasuke's car in front of her apartment. Her door was opened, but he was standing there, blocking her way out.

Sakura was very, _very_ confused why she found it exciting.

"Admit it."

"Admit _what_?"

"Admit that I exceeded your expectations of a good date," Sasuke returned cockily. "Admit that you had fun with me."

Her emerald eyes shining, she challenged him, "Oh, did I?"

Sasuke raised his eyebrows and stared her down.

"Okay, okay, I'll admit it," she smiled easily, holding up a hand, "I did have fun. That was one of the best dates I've ever been to. You, however, still have Sai to top."

He raised his eyebrows. "Sai. Your ex-boyfriend, Sai. You don't honestly think he's better than me, surely."

"Well, what can I say?" she shrugged, and then chuckled. "Don't be so cocky, Sasuke. After all, you missed one of the most common things they do in dates."

"I didn't miss anything," he grumbled.

"Maybe. Maybe not," she smiled, "Either way, I had more fun than I thought I would, so thank you."

Sasuke studied her face carefully, his eyes burning into hers, and then in one sudden movement, pulled her up to kiss her fully on the lips, so quickly that they shared a breath. When he released her, her eyes were wide and her expression was one of the funniest he had seen yet.

"So," he began, a smirk tugging the corners of his lips, as he caught her right hand.

"So," she repeated, her cheeks slightly pink.

"Did I exceed your expectations?"

Her eyes widened and she hit him with her free hand, blushing to the red of her hair, "Did you do that just to surprise me? My god, Sasuke, the things you _do_ just to—"

Smirking and knowing that she was about to launch into one of her infamous long, mindless rambles, he put a finger on her lips to silent her, "_Sakura_."

Sakura fell silent immediately as she glared at him.

"Goodnight," Sasuke murmured huskily, stepping backwards to give her way.

"Goodnight," she managed to say, glaring at him for the last time before starting up the steps.

Watching her make her way up to the front door, he had a sudden urge to call her name. "Sakura!"

She turned around so abruptly that she almost slipped. Blushing as she steadied herself, she asked, "What?"

Holding back his laughter, he shook his head. "Nothing."

"If it's nothing then don't call my name!"

"Why, are you so infatuated with me your knees bend every time I call your name?"

"You _conceited_ little—"

Sasuke chuckled, rudely cutting her, and then, in a really, really surprising moment, laughed. Sakura watched in awe as he laughed, _fully_ laughed, and tried to remember the last time he laughed so hard in his presence. She couldn't remember any—probably because he had never laughed so freely in front of her before—so she just stared, half annoyed, half amused, as he laughed.

"Tomorrow, seven PM," he said, "I'll pick you up."

"What—"

"Wear something warm."

She looked at him, about to protest, but a little something tugged her heart and rendered her speechless, so she finally agreed, "Okay."

He smirked at her, all kinds of triumphant, and then turned around and got into his car. Sakura watched as he drove out of the driveway and finally disappeared down the road.

Her arms around herself, she sat down on the steps and let out a heavy, weary sigh, and then hung her head between her hands. She never thought _this_ would happen because… God, Sasuke was such a _jerk_ sometimes and he loved to make fun of her and often went out his way to do things just to see her embarrassed and he was rude and he was mean to many people and he was such a cocky bastard that he dared to think that she was _in love _with him—oh, the nerve of him!

But then… but then he made her feel like _this_, and suddenly she wondered if he was right. That she was maybe—just _maybe_—kind of sort of a little bit in love with him.

A loud beep from her BlackBerry made Sakura jump. Retrieving it from her handbag, she glanced at the screen—and unknown number—and, for some unexplainable reason, pressed on the green phone button.

"Hello?"

She froze as a singsong voice answered her.

"It's me, Sakura."

xx

Sasuke was, for the lack of a more suitable word, contented.

Quite amazingly, by some kind of magic perhaps, everything went well today. Naruto secured another deal with the Hyuugas, and if their partnership this time was highly successful like the last time, they might even join forces and agree on a full-fledged partnership, which would benefit both him and the Hyuugas _largely_. Ino came home, and from the sound of it, she might be staying for long this time around. And his date with Sakura…

Sasuke didn't really know what to make of that woman. She called in the middle of the night to tell him to sleep when he was busy working on something else. She visited him every day, sometimes with food and coffee, earning him weird looks from his subordinates. During the start of their relationship, she often made him feel so annoyed that he just honestly wanted to _break_ something. Now, none of her actions bothered him anymore, and _this_ bothered him so much, he also wanted to break something now.

It wasn't that Sasuke hated her. It was far, far, _far_ from that, really. Sakura was nice and she was kind and she understood him like no one else before. It had only been five, almost six, months since they… made that deal, and surely it was too soon to tell what he _might_ feel—or might _not_ feel—for her, right?

The doorbell rang and he got up to open the door. What he didn't expect, however, was _Itachi_ standing in front.

"Little brother."

For a second Sasuke froze, and his eyes darted to the document Itachi was holding—the document detailing the terms of agreement between the Hyuugas and the Uchiha company today, the one Naruto took care of.

"You—" Sasuke looked at him, seething. "Naruto was supposed to take care of that deal."

"He did. I met him on the way up here," Itachi replied smoothly, and then handed the file to Sasuke.

His eyes narrowed although he accepted the file anyway. "Why are you here?"

"I have something to tell you."

Sasuke crossed his arms over his chest. "Make it quick. I have no time for someone like you."

"It's about time that I come back, Sasuke," Itachi told him calmly, his face impassive, wasting no minute, "so I will. I'm coming back to take care of the company. I've talked about it with the Uchiha elders, and they have all agreed. I'm starting next week."

"You're _kidding_ me."

"No."

Sasuke wanted to _kill_ the bastard. "What about—what _as_?"

"I'm just following around for the moment." Itachi's voice was smooth and his eyes betrayed nothing. "If I handle things well, I might get your position."

"You want to be the CEO," Sasuke said, realizing the implications behind his words. "You want the company. You want the company from _me_."

Itachi looked at him plainly. "It's only natural."

"I will not allow it," Sasuke growled, his fists clenching. "You left when it was in shambles. You left when _you_ were due to do something to keep it from collapsing. You left, you don't care about it at all, and you don't deserve it, you _traitor_."

Itachi's eyes glinted strangely. "And yet there's nothing you can do about it."

"You don't know what I'm capable of now."

"What are you afraid of, Sasuke?" Itachi asked. "That I'm going to take everything away from you?"

Snapping, Sasuke pulled back his fist and then sent it flying to his brother's face.

"You don't take away _everything_," he spat, watching as blood trickled down Itachi's mouth, dark red under the moonlight, "You only take away what matters, don't you? It's the only way _you_ can be happy."

"Smart boy." Itachi stood up, the heartbreakingly cruel smirk curving his lips reminded Sasuke so _much_ of himself that it _hurt_. "It's about time you understand."

.

.

.

**tbc.**

* * *

**a/n:** Thanks for reading. :)


	12. xii

**a/n:** I DIDN'T FORGET! I'm sorry about the bolded text. In Doc Manager and my phone, it looked normal, and I didn't check. I hope it works now.

* * *

**twelve.**

.

.

.

Miyazawa Karin knew she was beautiful in that glamorous, stunning, can't-take-your-eyes-off-me way. She had blazing red hair that she tucked into a chignon on weekdays and wore down on weekends. Both options gave her the opportunity to show off her earrings, silver sparks of teardrops she had bought on a whim using her boyfriend's credit card. Her eyes were brown, but she'd been told that they were full of fierce determination, and under the sun they burned ruby red. Her gait was elegant and the air she carried with her was confident; she herself was both. She was, after all, a Miyazawa both in name and in blood.

Whoever in front of her, however, wasn't.

Sakura's eyes were unusually dull and guarded, her back straight and her face taut. Setting her purse on the table, she gave a small, forced smile towards Karin and then sat down as the latter did, too.

"It's been a long time," Karin said, crossing her legs. "Tea or coffee?"

"Coffee, thanks," Sakura replied. She hadn't had her daily dose of coffee and if by any chance this meeting went downhill—a pretty big chance, actually—she'd get crankier than normal, and that simply wouldn't do. Coffee should help. A waitress set down a cup of black coffee in front of Sakura and then scurried off to tend to other tables. "What do you need me for, Karin?"

Karin smiled brightly. "You really don't like meeting me, do you, Sakura?"

Sensing the bluntness in Karin's voice, Sakura shook her head. "That's not it. I just—"

"I don't particularly care, hon, really," the red-haired woman interrupted her, picking up her cup of tea and sipping quietly. "It's not like I want to meet you either."

"That's—that's fine."

"Of course it is," Karin agreed, setting down her cup on the table. "How has life been? Your job paying you well?"

"I don't see how—"

"Your privacy is yours, of course," she interrupted again, tone still pleasant. She might be fierce, but she would never lose her temper so easily. Besides, this hardly affected her. "I only ask relevant questions, Sakura. Does that put your mind at ease?"

Sakura bit her lip. No matter how and from what angle she saw it, she just couldn't help but think the whole notion was ridiculous. Meeting up with Karin was never in her agenda and had it not been for her phone call last night, Sakura would have thought that she wouldn't ever have to meet with this woman again. It wasn't like they hated each other, really. It was just that while they were cousins and their age was close, they never really got along.

"It's paying me well," she returned at last, a little indignantly. "How are you, yourself?"

"Eh, I could be better," Karin replied matter-of-factly, her eyes watching Sakura like an eagle and its prey. "Anyway, the reason I called you here is… well, Grandfather has a preposition for you."

Sakura blinked. "What is it?"

"He wants you to come and work for the company in the finance department," Karin answered. "Under the name of Miyazawa, of course."

"He doesn't want me to use my dad's name."

"I wouldn't be surprised. The Harunos hardly have a place in our society."

"I'm not going to change my name, Karin," Sakura said, distressed. "My parents are legally married and it's not strange that I take after my dad. I thought he knew that already. Why does he want me to work for him so badly, anyway? I'm hardly special."

"Yes," Karin agreed. "You're hardly special, but your mother is. Honoka-obasan is Grandfather's favourite."

"Says a lot about why he chased her out the house three decades ago, then," Sakura muttered, sighing.

Wisely, Karin picked up her cup of tea and drank silently, waiting for Sakura to get over it. She never did like talking about their family history—not because it was painful, because it wasn't. She had a fulfilling childhood, great parents, and now she had the Miyazawa name on her back. It just annoyed her to see people getting so worked up, because it wasn't anything special.

To Sakura, however, it might be. Her parents were in an arranged marriage, one that worked out really well because they honestly fell in love with one another. Just before the engagement, however, the Harunos got bankrupt and in one night, lost all of their assets. There were some issues after that, issues that involved Honoka still wanting to marry Haruno Manabe and her father chasing her out of the house because she refused to marry anyone else, even if it were for their family name.

And now, almost thirty years later, here Karin was, asking Sakura to return to the family—the family she just met five years ago. Truth be told, even Karin thought it was a little ridiculous, but she wasn't going to say that.

"Look," Karin said, when the silence had stretched out for too long for her liking, "It's pretty simple, really. If you change your name, you'll live as a Miyazawa and work as a Miyazawa. It means benefits, like not having to make reservations in restaurants and access to our family funds and what-not. If you don't change your name, Grandfather is going to chase you _in_ the way he chased your mother _out_, and I can guarantee that it's not going to be pretty."

"This is ridiculous," Sakura frowned. "He disowned my family for _thirty years_, and now, out of nowhere, he wants us to come back. _He_'s ridiculous."

"Welcome to my world," the red-haired woman smiled wryly.

"No," she said then, her fingers tightening around her cup, "I'm not going to come back like an obedient child when he was the one who threw us out."

"Alright," Karin shrugged unceremoniously. "I'll pass on the message to him, although I do confess that I was hoping you would say yes."

Sakura straightened up, wary. "Why?"

"Quite frankly, this is wasting my time," Karin smiled, angling her head in such a way that Sakura caught sight of the beautiful silver teardrops at her ears, "And I just know that he's not going to let you go."

"Why not?"

"Darling, you have Miyazawa Honoka's blood in you," Karin answered, bright but with a hint of reproach in her voice, "Of course he's not going to let you go. I don't like bursting your bubble, Sakura, but no one can escape from Miyazawa Akihito—no one."

xx

_No one can escape from Miyazawa Akihito. _

_No one can escape from Miyazawa Akihito._

_No one can escape from Miyazawa Akihito. _

Like a curse, Sakura kept repeating the sentence in her head. It wasn't that she wanted to—far from it—but as much as she didn't want to admit it, she _knew_ who Miyazawa Akihito was and what he was like, even if she only met him twice before and they hardly talked, and if anything, it was that he was cold-hearted and ruthless.

Anyone who could drive her mother out the house and the family she loved so much just _had_ to be, because no matter the problem, Sakura didn't understand why her mother had to be thrown out, to be disowned. Honoka didn't do anything wrong. She just fell in love with the most wonderful man on earth, and actually _fought_ to be together with him, and look what happened to her. Stripped off her own name, abandoned, ostracized by her own family.

"Sakura."

Jumping back, Sakura gasped and stopped pacing around. "Sasuke! Why are you here?"

"You didn't pick up your phone," Sasuke answered, a little puzzled. He got out of his car and watched her run down the steps to his car. "I thought I told you I'd pick you up at seven today?"

"Oh—oh, yes, you did, didn't you?" she murmured, covering her eyes with one hand. Oh god. One meeting with Karin and all just disappeared from her mind. Taking a deep breath, she looked up at him. "Well, we can go now. If you still want to."

He looked at her, studying her face. "Did something happen?"

"Nope," she answered quickly, trying to push the problem to the very back of her mind. "Nothing happened."

Sasuke raised his eyebrows but said nothing, opening the door for her. She slid into the car and sat down, taking a few deep breaths as she eyed her reflection in the rear view mirror. God, no wonder he immediately saw through her; she looked pretty horrible. She should put some effort into hiding it, because hello, this was Uchiha Sasuke and he already had enough trouble on his mind as it was, she really didn't need to trouble him anymore. Besides, this had nothing to do with him.

"You haven't had dinner, have you?" he asked, sliding into the driver's seat.

She shook her head and tried to smile. "No. I'm a little hungry, actually."

"Alright," he said and started the car engine, driving it out of her apartment's driveway.

Around ten minutes later they arrived at a restaurant down the street. Looking around in astonishment, she half-squealed as he took her hand and led her inside the restaurant. The restaurant was small but cosy, revolving around the English theme. Lighting was dim but not too dim that it made her sleepy or dazed. Soft, classical music was playing and the atmosphere was warm and soothing without being overly tacky or corny.

To Sakura's surprise, Naruto was inside, and the blond immediately greeted them once he saw them. "Sasuke! Sakura-chan!"

"Hi," Sakura replied, smiling.

"Well, now that you two are here, the food testing can start!" the blond man said, motioning for them to follow him inside.

Once Sasuke and Sakura were comfortably seated on the table by the window, Sakura looked at the menu on the table, reading each and every one of the meals. "I didn't know you were opening a restaurant," she said, when she was finally done. Putting down the menu on the table once more, she crossed her arms on the table and glanced at him, waiting expectantly. "You didn't mention a word about it."

"It's just another investment, Sakura. I didn't think it was important enough to be mentioned."

"But it's a restaurant, Sasuke!" she exclaimed, clearly excited. "I mean, it's something big. I didn't know you also work in this industry."

"Hospitality? Not particularly," he replied, studying the flower vase in front of him. When he looked up to meet her eyes, there was a certain light in his eyes that Sakura couldn't decipher, "It's a one-off project using my private savings. It has nothing to do with the company."

"Ah," she nodded. "It's still something big, though. I think it's even bigger than if the company invests in something, because this is all you, right?"

"If you say so," Sasuke returned, amusement dancing in his eyes. Together they watched as the meals were served on their table. "Naruto is helping me with the preparations. If it's good, we'll launch next week."

She smiled. "That's great."

"Yeah," he agreed, a little more softly. "You should come."

"Of course I will!"

"Good," he said. "Shall we eat?"

xx

The food, Sakura decided, was good.

In fact, it was so good that she almost couldn't stop eating, if only she didn't remember that she had added two pounds this week and she didn't want to buy new pants just yet. They started with appetizers and ended with dessert—soft green tea pudding, one of her favourite—and when they were done, Sasuke offered to take her home. They were in front of her apartment before long.

"That was good," Sakura smiled. "Thank you for a great dinner, Sasuke. You considerably made my day brighter."

"Pleasure," he remarked automatically. Studying her face, he sighed and asked, "I'm going to ask this one more time, Sakura. Did anything happen?"

"No," she frowned. "Why?" Did her face suddenly darken without her knowing? She hadn't been thinking about Karin and her proposition during dinner—well, not _much_, at least—and she had made sure that she didn't look as if she was thinking about anything at all, and _ohmigod_, was she really that transparent?

"You're making that face again," he interrupted her.

"What face?"

"That face you show whenever you either didn't sleep well or haven't had your daily cup of coffee," he replied, wearily, as if saying it physically pained him. When she tried to protest, he looked at her squarely and said, "You were the one who told me we better be honest to each other, Sakura."

Hearing those words, she stopped on her tracks and pursed her lips, annoyed at herself. She didn't know that those words would come and haunt her _now_, did she?

"Itachi came by last night," Sasuke began, suddenly realizing that he was the one who had to coax her this time. And if he wanted to coax her, he'd do it right. He'd be honest with her. "He's coming back to the company."

"What for?" Sakura asked, frowning.

"I'm not sure yet," he sighed. "But knowing the elders, he'd probably be CEO in one, two weeks tops. They adore him."

"Oh," she was silent for a while, and then asked, a little softly, "What are you going to do, then?"

"What _can_ I do?" he asked back, bitter.

"Is that even legal, coming back to the company just like that? And isn't that _your_ position?"

"Technically, he's one of our shareholders, so yes, he does have that right," Sasuke said, watching the equalizer on the stereo, "He can't take away my position so easily though. Work contracts and all that. Except, well, he's got the elders supporting him, so it's really only a matter of time."

Grumbling, Sakura muttered, "That sucks _balls_."

"Indeed."

"But you can't give up yet, Sasuke!" she exclaimed, suddenly straightening up and taking his hand, "It's _your_ company. You also hold some of the shares, and you've proven yourself to be a better leader than him! I mean, you didn't walk out when they needed a leader the most. You stayed! It's a proof! If your aunts and uncles can't see that, well, then they're blind. And stupid. Well, mostly stupid."

Sasuke almost wanted to snicker. Well, almost. "I'm not going to give up, Sakura."

"Good!" she balled up her fist and shook it vehemently. "Show 'em what you got!"

"If there's time," he told her. "I'm not sure why, but I'm not as concerned about my position anymore. There… there should be a way."

She frowned, and then looked at her hands, "I can't believe Itachi wants to do it, though. He really doesn't seem like that kind of person. Are you sure that you interpret his words correctly?"

Fire flickered in his eyes. "Are you saying that you trust him more than me?"

"No!" she exclaimed, "I never said or thought anything of that effect. Look, I trust _you_, okay? And if you really think so, then it really might be so. I'm just asking because well, we all make mistakes. You, me, Itachi. I just don't want to throw away the thought that he might be a good person, because even if he did make mistakes, that doesn't automatically make him a _bad_ person. Are you sure he doesn't have any hidden agenda, or something?"

Sasuke sighed wearily. "I've known him for all my life, Sakura. I don't think it's possible for someone to lie _all_ his life."

At this, Sakura was suddenly quiet, and a flash of agony washed over her eyes for a split second before it completely dispersed. "You never know, Sasuke. The bad guy can be the good guy in the end, while the good guy… can be the bad guy in the end. People have masks, Sasuke. Masks and secrets."

"Like you, I suppose," Sasuke retorted, a little too heatedly. "You have things you want to hide from me."

Hearing the accusation in his voice, she straightened up and looked at him defensively. "That's because they don't concern you!"

"And you think the whole Itachi thing concerns _you_?" he asked snappily. "It doesn't, Sakura, it doesn't have anything to do with you. So answer this: why am I telling you?"

"Because—" she faltered, "Because I _care_ about you, Sasuke, and you know that."

"That's right," he said, "because you care about me. So pray tell, don't I care about you?"

Sakura froze.

"The ball is in _your_ court."

"I—you—I don't—" she paused, took a deep breath, and asked, "Do you care about me?"

Sasuke leaned forward until their eyes were on the same level, darkness to light. "What do _you_ think, Sakura?"

She bit her lip hesitantly. "Am I allowed to think that you do?"

He frowned. And then glared at her. And then frowned again. "Do you really need me to _spell _out everything for you?"

"Yes. No." She frowned back. "Maybe?"

Pressing his lips together into a thin line, he glared at her, obsidian eyes piercingly sharp. "Tell me what happened first."

She hesitated. "You honestly want to know?"

A nod.

"Even if it has nothing to do with you?"

Another nod, this time accompanied with a grumble.

Sakura sighed, and looked at her hands for a while, before finally looking up and meeting Sasuke's eyes. "I met my cousin today."

Alright, nothing too surprising. Yet. Sasuke waited.

"My cousin wants me to work for them." This was true, although there was a lot of hidden meaning in it. But Sasuke didn't need to know that, and Sakura didn't feel like elaborating any further. "I don't feel like it, but I feel that my mother would want me too." Also true, because Honoka _had_ wanted to repair their family ties, and this looked like one big opportunity to do so. Taking it would mean being faithful to her mother and the very blood that ran in her veins, but it also meant betraying herself, because a finance consultant was not her dream job. It never was. She just took it in university because at that time, she didn't know what to take and she was particularly good in that area. "It's just… killing me inside, thinking about it, that's all."

"And why is it killing you?"

Sakura ran over the list of reasons in her head, and then sighed and decided to tell him the truth. "I don't really want to, because I love my job now and I can't see myself working as a… as a finance consultant," she made a face, "Believe it or not, that was my major in university."

Sasuke raised his eyebrows. "I don't really see you as the finance type."

"I'm really good at it," she smiled weakly, "I just… I just don't really like it. I don't enjoy it."

"So don't take it," he told her, matter-of-factly.

"It's not that easy."

"Why?"

"Because my mom would want me to," she explained, hesitating, "We—we don't really have a good relationship with our _extended_ family. Since the job offer is… well, since it offers the opportunity to fix our relationship with the big family, I suppose she would want me to take it. But I don't want to, because apart from the fact that I can't see myself working as a finance consultant, I also… I also can't see myself with my big family. They're, uh, not so nice people."

He looked up curiously. "Not so nice people?"

"They're workaholics and they mostly care about their reputation, their money… their name, their place in society," she paused, "Among other things."

Sasuke smirked. "That sounds like me."

"You're not like that at all!" Sakura protested in alarm. "You're a lot more than that."

He shrugged, but said nothing to agree or disagree.

"Sasuke!"

"What?"

"You're a lot more than that," she repeated. "A lot more."

He looked at her, silent for a while, and then asked, "What are you going to do?"

"To do what? To convince you?" she asked, and when he shook his head in amusement, she continued, "Oh. About that. Yeah, well…"

"Well?" he prompted.

"What are _you_ going to do about Itachi?" she returned the question.

"I'll do what I have to," he answered grimly, "If I have to fight for the company, then I will."

"Good." She reached for his hand and squeezed it. "If you want something, you _fight_ for it. That… that goes for me, too."

He looked at their intertwined fingers and ran his thumb on the back of her hand. "What is it that you want, Sakura?"

"I don't know yet," she said, but then smiled, "but I'll figure it out."

"Good," he returned, and she felt him squeeze back gently. "That's very, very good."

.

.

.

**tbc.**

* * *

**a/n:** IT'S FEBRUARY, GUYS. D:


	13. xiii

**a/n: **Thanks for the reviews!

* * *

**thirteen.**

.

.

.

"I find it very interesting that you don't devote as much time to work as you used to, Sasuke."

Slightly surprised at the sudden statement, Sasuke looked up to the source of the voice. His jaw hardened when he found Itachi standing at the door, dark eyes impassive, gaze focused on him. He hadn't expected to see him in the office, so late at night.

"Itachi."

_Something_ flashed in Itachi's eyes. "Dearest brother."

"_Dearest_ brother?" Sasuke repeated sharply, sarcasm dripping from his voice. "Is that what you're calling me in front of the others?"

Ignoring his words, the older Uchiha walked into the room and sat down on the chair across Sasuke. After a lengthy silence, he picked up a document from the desk and ran through it. "Well," he said, "It seems like you're managing the company well, even without me."

"You didn't give me any choice."

Itachi looked at Sasuke. "Would you have wanted a choice, Sasuke?"

Sasuke's hand froze midway of signing another document. He snarled, "What do you mean?"

"If I wasn't mistaken," Itachi began, his face unreadable, "_you_ were the one who wanted the company. I didn't give you a choice because you hadn't wanted a choice, Sasuke. You wanted the company, so I gave you the company." A mysterious smirk curved his lips as he added, "For a limited amount of time, that is. I will always take back what is rightfully mine, as should you."

The younger Uchiha studied his brother, feeling sick to the pits of his stomach. It disgusted him that they were so alike, both in appearance and personality. Had he been _Itachi_, not _Sasuke_, he was sure he'd have done the same thing. It _hurt_ him to even so much as admit it, even to himself, but it was probably true. He'd take back what was rightfully his, too, because he was an _Uchiha_ and that was what… that was what Uchihas did, really. Mercilessly, ruthlessly retrieve anything and everything that were supposed to be theirs but weren't. Acceptance had never been their strong point, if and _especially_ if their pride had been trodden on.

But not like this.

"You left," Sasuke spat, fist clenching under the table, "You _left_, you bastard, and you left me no choice. Did you think it was easy? Did you think I _wanted_ to take the company away from you? I didn't, Itachi, and for your information, the company was _ours_. Not yours. Not mine. _Ours_. They left it for _us_. I—" he paused, hesitating for a split second but knowing that he had no other way to back out from this, "I looked at their original will."

"I know."

"You _know_?"

Itachi stood up and looked out the window, back facing Sasuke. "I've seen the original will, too."

"When?"

"After the accident."

"And you didn't tell me," Sasuke spat bitterly, "You didn't tell me, and you _left._ What a—what a _coward_ are you, you bastard. What were you afraid of?"

A bitter smirk graced Itachi's lips, but he dared not turn around to show it to his younger brother. "What you looked at was their first will, Sasuke."

"What do you mean?" Sasuke asked, onyx eyes narrowed. He was so sure that he had looked at the right one. He had been very clear and very precise when talking to their lawyer, Ichinose Kurama, about it, making sure that things should go as well as they ought to. He had seen it with his own eyes and he was so sure that there hadn't been any mistake. Unless… unless he missed something. "Itachi?"

"Their first will," Itachi said, a little wearily. "They wrote another one after that one. What you looked at was original, yes, but it's not their… it's not _it_." He looked up and met Sasuke's eyes, "Ichinose hasn't been completely honest with you, Sasuke."

"What—"

"_I_ asked _him_ to hide some… ah, sensitive facts from you."

"You asked him to _lie_," Sasuke's face darkened. "What the _fuck_—"

"Probably not the best decision I made," Itachi agreed, turning around to face Sasuke, "but I had to. I made sure you saw the first will and only the first will before I left you with the company, Sasuke. It was all planned. _I_ planned it. Ichinose was nice enough to help me, but only after I convinced him that it was for the best. It was for _your_ best."

"_Why_?"

"You didn't look at the legal documents of the company, did you?" Itachi asked back, and when Sasuke's eyes widened and a flash of frustration flickered in his eyes, smiled wryly. They really _were_ very, very similar to each other. "I thought not. I had Ichinose keep them safe so that not even you can look at them, because it's better than you… didn't." The smile disappeared and was replaced by a solemnity Sasuke didn't realize his brother possessed, "We're almost out of time, though."

"What in the _fucking world_ are you talking about?" Sasuke asked, frowning, "What the hell is it that I don't know?"

"The company doesn't belong to us, Sasuke," Itachi replied, "Well, at least _now_ it does, but soon it will belong to someone else. We have a time limit until it's given to someone else."

Sasuke bit back another snarl. "Who?"

Itachi sighed heavily, massaging his forehead. He had wished that there would be an easy way to get around him, but his brother was just as stubbornly frustrated as he was, many years ago, when he discovered what was really going on behind the scenes. Leaving hadn't been the best decision he made. In fact, it could have been one of the worst and his biggest regret. Coming back now was the only option he knew of, coming back and saving _everything_ before it all fell down to ruins. He was the older brother, after all, and it was his job to protect his younger brother, no matter how the latter utterly loathed him.

And the first step to that was to tell him the truth, even if it was the ugliest Itachi knew of.

"Uchiha Madara."

Hearing that name, Sasuke froze, blood draining from his face as he clenched his fists, jaw hardening. "What?"

"Yes, Sasuke," Itachi replied, smiling acerbically. "You and I—we've been betrayed by our own blood."

"How—"

"He pulled some strings," the older Uchiha interrupted before Sasuke could ask _how_ and _why_ and everything else. He _had_ to understand. He _had_ to. They had to work together to come out from this alive, let alone _win_ it. "Got our parents to sign some documents. Twisted the truth, spread false words…" he trailed off, his face sullen when he continued, "and threatened their lives. Uchiha Madara is a more capable man—a_ way_ more capable man—than he lets on, especially when it comes to utilizing his resources to get what he wants."

"How do you know this, Itachi?"

"I wasn't born yesterday, Sasuke," was the solemn, sour reply. "You, of all people, need to know that even if he's Father's younger brother and they were brought up by the same people, it doesn't mean that he has the same values. Money is a scary thing, as is power. Too much of that can turn a good man evil, the uncontrollable desire to gain what he should not gain and to ruthlessly destroy everything that stands in the way. Right now, what stands between him and that which he should not gain is you, Sasuke." When Sasuke narrowed his eyes, Itachi continued, "I've spoken to our elders, and they have agreed that you have worked hard for this company. Even if the will of our parents says that Madara is to inherit it after a number of years, it shouldn't be too hard to convince them that you're the one this whole thing _still_ somehow belongs because of all the work you've put into it. That's why I think you should work harder, convince them even more that you're important enough so that they'll fight for you to stay, even if Madara owns it."

Sasuke was incredulous. "Are you _helping_ me?"

"Is that so hard to believe?"

"_Yes_," came the reply. "You left, Itachi. You _fucking_ left. If you had wanted to help, you would have stayed—and told me the truth."

"I was young."

"I was _younger_."

Itachi smiled wryly. "If I could turn back time, little brother, I would."

Sasuke didn't say anything. It was too easy if just after this, he forgave Itachi. No matter what happened, it was real. The abandonment, the betrayal, the pain of being left—they were all real.

Real and _raw_.

"I did not come back to make things right with you, Sasuke," Itachi suddenly said, eyes gleaming with so many emotions all at once Sasuke couldn't read them. "I would confess my hope for the possibility of it, but I do not dare think that things will be alright between us again. All I'm asking from you right now is for you to work with me to save the company our parents worked so hard for so that it doesn't fall into the hands of someone greedy and unworthy of it, someone who only appreciates the financial value and nothing else, someone who actually cares little to nothing for it."

The eyes that stared back at him were carefully curious. "Why should I believe you?"

Itachi regarded Sasuke with a thoughtful expression on his face. "Do you want to save the company?"

"Madara has appeared to be nothing less than supportive for all this time," Sasuke replied, his voice smooth. "He is good at what he does and his endeavors for the company have mostly been successful. He has proven to be exceedingly loyal to the Uchiha's, both in name and in action." He paused, and looked at Itachi sharply, "Shall I remind you that you're the one who _hasn't_?"

A smirk graced Itachi's lips, one of amusement and… satisfaction? Almost laughing, he said, "Spoken like a true Uchiha."

To his surprise, Sasuke smirked back. And then he turned serious, "I'll make an appointment with Ichinose tomorrow and… have things sorted out," he told him then, "but I want to see everything, and that means _everything_. No more hidden facts, no more surprises, no more family secrets. Swear on your life that everything I shall see tomorrow is true and all that is there."

"Does this mean you believe me?"

"No," the answer came quicker than a flash of lightning on a rainy day, but what came next was _almost_ enough for Itachi. "but I'm willing to listen—only if you're telling the truth."

Itachi looked away and gave a low chuckle. "You've grown up, haven't you?"

"I've always been this way."

"No," his eyes softened just a little bit, barely visible even to Sasuke, "You've grown up. You've changed. The old Sasuke wouldn't give me the time of his day. He wouldn't even consider what I'm saying, because he was rash and he didn't like to think that there are sometimes things behind things." He paused, and then remarked, "Whoever has changed you, my little brother, tell her I am eternally grateful."

"Her?" Sasuke echoed.

"Yes," Itachi replied, and there was something in his mischievous smirk that made Sasuke think he knew something he didn't, "Send her my gratitude—you know who I'm talking about."

The younger of the Uchiha frowned, but said nothing, only watching silently as Itachi left the room. It would _kill_ him first to admit it, but Itachi did _know_ him quite well. He supposed that it was only natural that he did. After all, they _had _spent most of their lives together. Still. For him to know that _Sasuke_ knew who he was talking about, for him to understand so well _what _had changed and all the whys and wherefores, and to actually know _who_…

Perhaps he was more transparent than he thought.

xx

"Itachi said I would find you here."

Sasuke's head snapped up from the documents he was studying, surprised when he saw Ino standing by the door. A smirk curved his lips as she breezed into the room, taking her seat on his desk, her bright blue eyes thoughtful.

"You met him."

"Yes," Ino smiled, "I did. He seems fine."

Sasuke was quiet for a while. "Do you still love him?"

"No!" was the quick reply, her eyes widening in surprise and her lips blossoming into an amused smile, "Oh, God, Sasuke, _no_! I'm not _in love_ with him. I love him, yes, but certainly not the way you thought it was. I love him like I love you. He's like the older brother I wanted to have when I was a little kid, you know, and… yeah…" she trailed off anxiously, "Are you okay?"

"Yes," he returned her gaze quizzically, deciding to put his earlier conversation with Itachi away from his mind until he had some alone time to himself, "Is there any reason I shouldn't be?"

"Itachi's homecoming?" she guessed, and when he raised his eyebrows, she continued, "Is it wrong to be worried? You're still my best friend, after all, one of the people I care for the most… and I don't want to see you hurt."

Amusement filled his eyes. "Like you don't want to see him hurt."

"I—"

"Ino."

The blonde hesitated. "Yeah?"

"Why do you trust me?"

At that sudden question, Ino blinked. "I'm sorry, what?"

"Why do you trust me?" Sasuke repeated, pronouncing every syllable clearly.

"Is this a trick question?"

"No."

"I…" she looked at him, and then smiled, "I trust you because you're _you_, Sasuke."

"Right," he said, "then why do you trust Itachi?"

"Because he's him," Ino replied simply. "I trust both of you. I always have and I always will. Because you're, well, _you_. And because Itachi's him. Because we're friends. Because you've always been there for me from the start and I can't forgive myself if I'm not there for you at all. Because… because I care, and because I don't want to see you hurt."

Sasuke played with the pen between his fingers for a long, long while, his gaze on it before he moved on to Ino, and then on the pen again, and then on her again.

And then it hit him.

There was a difference between Ino and… and _Sakura_. There was a difference so big that he couldn't believe he missed it the first time around. Ino accepted what _other people_ told her and believed it and never questioned it, maybe because a lot of _other people_ had told her the same thing. She believed that _he_ took the company away from _Itachi_, accepted it, believed it, never questioned it, and Sakura… Sakura never did. Sakura trusted him, trusted that he was _good_ from the very start, trusted what _he_ said and not what _Itachi_ said.

Trusted him from the very start—even though he was a conniving jerk, a mean bastard who had no manners whatsoever, a stupid prick who acted like he owned the world.

Trusted him.

_Trusted him_.

And hopefully, she'd trust him until the very end.

_You fool_, a voice inside him said, _it doesn't _always _have to end_.

"Sasuke?"

His head snapped up and he looked at Ino. "I have to go."

"Eh?" she looked confused, "Where to?"

"I'll see you later, Ino."

Blinking, Ino only nodded, watching in puzzlement as Sasuke rushed out of the office, leaving his work unattended on the table.

xx

He had to see Sakura.

He wasn't sure why, actually. He just had to see her. He wanted to see her and tell her that… what? He didn't even know. He had no idea what he would say to her, what he would ask of her; had no idea what would happen when he saw her. He just knew that for now, he had to see her. And maybe when he _did_, he'd understand why he _needed_ to see her so badly.

Sasuke raised his hand, about to knock the door, but then froze, because the door had already opened with a soft click, revealing Sakura inside.

She blinked. "Sasuke?"

Sasuke returned the gaze evenly. "Hi."

"Hi," she replied, "What are you doing here?"

"I—"

"Sakura?" a voice came from behind her before Sasuke could even finish. A male voice, and then a man appeared behind her shoulder. As he came face to face with Sasuke, a smirk curved his lips. His eyes were dark, very, very dark, and the amusement dancing in them was one whose reason Sasuke found incomprehensible. "Who is this?"

Sakura looked like she wanted to die right then. And then she proceeded to the introductions.

"Sasuke, this is Sai. Sai, this is Sasuke."

.

.

.

**tbc.**

* * *

**a/n:** I'm sorry because I'm apparently really terrible at remembering to update. Days just blur by and I completely forgot, even if I've had this chapter ready for a while now. **Please, just feel free nudge me if I skip another week!**


	14. xiv

**a/n:** Thanks for the reminder! I completely forgot it's the weekend again. That's what happens when you're on break and the days blur by.

Also, someone asked me why I don't upload all of the chapters at the same time. Part of the reason is that I don't want to clog up people's inboxes with 30 emails at the same time. The other part is that I simply don't have the time or motivation to edit all 30 chapters and post all of them at once. Doing it little by little makes the workload seem much lighter, and thus much more manageable. Please do understand, and thank you for asking. (:

* * *

**fourteen.**

.

.

.

"Sasuke, this is Sai. Sai, this is Sasuke."

Okay, Sasuke thought. So this was Sakura's ex-boyfriend. He'd heard about him several times before. This man was the one she claimed to be 'not completely over yet'. The one who was her best friend all throughout high school and then college and, at that time, understood her better than herself. The one who made her suffer the most excruciatingly painful breakup of all times.

What on _hell's stupid face_ was he doing here?

"Um," Sakura began, but then immediately fell silent, chewing on her lower lip, her gaze switching between looking at Sasuke and looking at Sai.

"Hello," Sai said smoothly, extending a hand to Sasuke as he smiled, "Uchiha Sasuke, right? Arakaki Sai. Please, just call me Sai."

Sasuke took the hand, his lips pressed into a thin line. From the corner of his eye, he could see that Sakura was covering her face with her hands.

"Well, I'm going to go now, Sakura," Sai said, turning to Sakura. "I'll see you sometime soon, I hope. You know where to find me."

"Of course." Sakura lowered her hands and tried to smile at him. "Thank you, Sai."

"No problem," the man returned easily, nodding at Sasuke when he brushed past him.

As soon as he was gone and the door was closed, Sasuke looked at Sakura, raising his eyebrows. There was a dull ache in his chest that he recognized as that petty emotion known as jealousy, but he wasn't sure where that came from. Being jealous of Sai and Sakura was probably the stupidest thing to do, especially after he had come just to… look at her.

_Oh God, _Sasuke thought, realization hitting him like a ton of bricks. He _had_ come by just to _look_ at her. What the hell was he _turning_ into?

"So," Sakura chewed on her lower lip, avoiding his scrutinizing eyes, "Um, that was Sai."

Sasuke's eyebrows rose higher, his voice sarcastic. "Really? I didn't know."

At his tone, she snapped her head up, suddenly confused, "Wait. Are you mad at me?"

"Did you do anything wrong?"

"No…" she paused hesitantly, and then dared herself to look into his eyes, "At least, I don't think so."

He sighed, as if the whole notion wore him out. "I'm not mad at you, Sakura."

"Really?" the pink-haired woman looked at him tentatively, "Because you're doing that thing when you press your lips so hard, you know. And when you always do that when you're pissed!"

"Stop it," Sasuke frowned. "What was _he_ doing here?"

"Sai?" Sakura asked, leading him into the living room. "He, uh, came by to ask me how I'm doing after you dropped me off. We talked. Caught up to each other. The stuff."

"At _midnight_?"

She glanced at the clock, sheepishness colouring her lovely features as soon as she caught the time, and Sasuke knew, just knew, that she hadn't noticed it was midnight until he pointed it out. Didn't that mean that they had fun talking that time seemed unimportant? He really didn't know what to feel about this.

"Well…" she hesitated, and then decided to change the subject, "Is anything wrong, Sasuke?"

"No," he frowned. "At least I don't think so. Why?"

"It's, well, midnight," she said, pointing out the obvious, refusing to look at his face. "I honestly didn't think that you would come find me if it were for nothing. But if nothing is wrong, great! What's up, then?"

Sasuke looked at her, studying her face incredulously, suddenly offended for reasons he couldn't understand himself. "Oh, so _Sai_ can come here to just _talk_ to you and I can't?"

"It's not like that!" Sakura scowled. "You're getting ahead of yourself. Of course you can. You just, well, _don't_."

"Do I really need a reason to see you?" he asked her, obsidian eyes piercing sharply. Couldn't he just see her because he wanted to? God. Sometimes he really wondered why he _cared_ at all. Sakura was obviously too oblivious for her own good, which was very slowly but surely becoming the death of him.

To his surprise, she blushed at his question. "Don't be such a flirt."

"I am _not_ flirting," he retorted, even more offended.

"Well." She rolled her eyes, but then smiled in mischief. "I really don't know, to be honest. I mean, Sai was _nothing_ like you. He doesn't do the flirting part. He's pretty straight to the point, unnecessarily so at times, but you know. He doesn't confuse me like you do."

Sasuke, however, completely took it the wrong way. "Why are you comparing him to me?"

"Am I?" she blinked, amusement flashing in her eyes. "I'm sorry."

"You should be," he agreed. "If _he_'s my competition—there wouldn't be any competition at all."

"Tsk, tsk, Sasuke, stop being so arrogant," she said, punching his arm playfully. "You still have Sai to top, remember?" Before Sasuke could retort anymore, she cut him off. "Well. Since you're here and you don't particularly have a goal to accomplish, why don't you accompany me watch some chick flicks and eat ice cream? Tenten's out again. I don't think she'll be back until, well, _much_ later."

"That's so…" he paused, looking for a suitable word but found none, "feminine."

Sakura raised her eyebrows, "What do you have in mind, then?"

He said nothing.

"Okay," she looked at him thoughtfully, "We can eat ice cream and talk, if that's better? I have coffee flavour for you, if you don't like strawberry cheesecake." When he still didn't speak, she glared at him. "Well, you're going to have to deal, Uchiha Sasuke. It's Ice Cream Night and there is no way on earth I'm going to give it up, even for the likes of you."

Sasuke sighed, knowing that he was already defeated before the fight even began, and then proceeded to sit on the couch, staring up to the ceiling, inwardly cursing himself. This was _not_ what Uchiha Sasuke _did_—not usually, anyway. Sakura seemed to be able to bring out different sides of him he didn't know existed, and sometimes—just _sometimes_—he found that he didn't mind. Much.

Sakura broke into a bright smile as she went into the kitchen, coming back with two cups of ice cream and two spoons. Sitting down beside him, she turned on the TV and breezed through the channels, stopping only when she found MTV and tossing the remote away.

Sasuke watched, rather bemusedly, as scantily clad dancers filled the screen and started moving their hips in ways he didn't know was humanly possible before. Entertainment these days rather surprised him in ways that were unpleasant, but he wasn't about to complain. Being alone with Sakura meant opportunity to question—interrogate—her, and judging from their recent conversations, it was a little unfair that she seemed to know more about him that he knew about her. It rather distracted him, too.

So the Uchiha decided to start with the most recent ones—except he wasn't exactly one for subtlety. "Why did you break up with him?"

"What?" Sakura blinked and then reached for the remote, putting the TV on mute. "Oh, you mean Sai?"

He raised his eyebrows, "You've had other boyfriends before Sai?"

"Well," she laughed lightly, "He's the only person I've ever been serious with."

"Right," he said, and then waited.

She didn't speak for a few minutes, and then she flushed a deep shade of red, making him even more curious. He didn't ask anymore, though, because asking the same thing _twice_ was definitely not him. Not at all, and he had to stop before things got out of hand.

"Well," she started hesitantly, "It's not _that_ big of a reason, actually. Nothing earth-shattering. It's kind of how we never could actually see ourselves… married. I mean," she hurried to add, "We've been best friends for so long, although I think we _were_ in love with each other, we couldn't see past _now_. We couldn't see our future, and the ones we _could_ see didn't involve the other one of us. If we were really that good of a couple, I think we should be able to see our future together."

Sasuke raised his eyebrows. "That's a pretty… friendly breakup."

"I suppose," she laughed awkwardly, "but it wasn't, really. It was really awkward and it just… hurt, to look at him and think that we couldn't be what we were before we were, well," she raised her fingers up in the air to make air quotes for the last two words, "'in love'."

"And you're friends now."

"Not really," admitted Sakura, voice wavering just a tiny bit, "The first few months after we broke up, we could hardly look at each other. I'd want to throw stuff around or burst into tears whenever he was around, and he'd just freeze, like a statue. It… took some getting used to," she continued slowly, "He was my best friend, Sasuke. I should be able to understand him as much as he should be able to understand me, but in the end, our relationship became the end of our friendship. That was… pretty devastating. Don't date your best friend if you're not sure you'll get married later," she added, "It doesn't always end well."

He looked at her for a long, long while, allowing the comfortable silence to draw out between them. He didn't really know why he asked, actually. He just wanted to. Seeing her, seeing him, seeing _them_ together had made him realize that, while he wasn't sure what or how he felt for her, he clearly didn't want her to be with someone else _that way_, and if he wanted to keep her away from people and actually _do it right_, he would have to take some necessary steps.

Steps he wasn't sure he was willing to take.

Sakura, for her part, also seemed to be lost in her thoughts. When she recovered, her green eyes were filled with determination, "Sasuke, there's something I have to tell you."

"Yes?"

"Sai…" she hesitated, "Sai was here because…"

Because he wished to declare his undying love for her? Because he asked her to get back together and she agreed? Because he wanted to _propose_ and she accepted? Sasuke's face involuntarily darkened as unpleasant thoughts ran around his head. Was he going to get shot down before he even _asked_?

"Sai was here because my cousin convinced him to help her convince _me_ to… go work for her company," Sakura said, finally, breaking the silence between them. When confusion coloured Sasuke's normally impassive eyes, she continued, "My cousin Karin has a boyfriend who happened to be one of Sai's good friends. His name is Suigetsu. I think Karin thinks that we're still together—or that even if we're not, we're still friends—so she asked him to convince me to go work for them. That's why he was actually here. We… we did talk and caught up, I suppose, but he wasn't here for that purpose. Obviously, our relationship has ended and whatever romantic feelings we harboured for each other are clearly gone. But Karin doesn't know that."

"Okay," Sasuke said carefully, somehow feeling relieved. But then something caught his attention, "If your cousin went that far just to get you into the company, then it must mean a lot to her."

"Not to her," Sakura admitted, a little hint of exhaustion in her voice, "She couldn't care less what I'm up to. We don't really have that kind of relationship nor are we friendly with each other. She runs errands for Grandfather, and… I think, I _think_, to Grandfather, my joining the company would mean a lot. Which… isn't a good thing, because he's… he's ruthless. And cold. And strictly business." Her eyes darkened with agony and her voice shook. "And pretty much someone I-I don't _ever_ want to meet."

"Sakura—"

"S-Sai said that if I don't… if I don't come meet him," she interrupted, her voice weak, "If I don't come meet him, he'll force me to go to him. And that means… that probably means that he'll find my mom," she swallowed, "I don't want him to meet her. Not after… not after… not _after._ He doesn't have the right to."

"Not after what?" he asked, unable to stop himself.

"Not after chasing her out so many years ago," she responded, clasping her hands together on her lap tightly, "Not after abandoning her on the streets, not after writing off her name from the family and declaring her as good as _dead_ to the public. Not after—"

Sasuke caught her hand and his thumb moved softly across the palm of her hand, effectively silencing her.

Taking a deep breath, Sakura shook her head, trying to clear her head. "He doesn't have the right to," she repeated, stronger this time, "Not after the way he treated her."

He looked at her, hating the way frustration was mirrored in every inch of her face, hating the way her eyes glistened with tears that refused to fall, hating how _vulnerable_ she looked. Clueless on how to comfort her, he squeezed her hand.

She blinked, surprised at the sudden warmth covering her fingers, but then a weak smile curved her lips. "I think I'm going to tell my mom."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah," she said, "I really don't see any easy way out of this. He'll just… find a way to get hold of her. And she's the one who… wants to repair our family ties. I don't agree," she quickly said, "but I can't imagine letting an opportunity she's been waiting for just pass up like that."

Sasuke just nodded. On one hand, he really wanted to _do something _and just help her, but on the other hand, this was family business he was butting into, and years of experience had taught Sasuke and if there was a sensitive issue with people sometimes, it was with their family. Now that was one thing he would try to avoid as much as possible. With Sakura, though, avoidance was impossible. Damn his wanting to know—where did _that_ come from?

"I'm sorry," she said suddenly, breaking his train of thoughts.

He immediately returned to earth. "Sorry about what?"

"We're supposed to eat ice cream and just, you know, _talk_," she laughed, gesturing to the uneaten cups of ice cream on the coffee table.

"This _is_ talking."

"Yeah, but not the kind of talking I want to do with you," she smiled.

He ignored the mischief in her eyes. "You can talk to me about anything."

"I know." Her emerald eyes softened. "And I appreciate it. But I'd rather not cloud your mind with tons of things that are… that should be solved by me and only me. Even if, well," she paused and blushed, "Even if you care."

He fought the urge to smile, half-failed, and ended up with a grimace instead. "Well—"

She leaned forward and swept a quick kiss on his cheek, rendering him speechless. "Thank you for listening to my complaints, Sasuke."

Sasuke was too surprised to even begin to think of something to say.

"Do you know what the fastest remedy is when you're being stupid, like me?" she asked.

"What?" he frowned, "And you're not being stupid."

She ignored his statement and grinned, handing him the melting coffee ice cream. "Here."

A bit begrudgingly, he accepted it and took the spoon, staring at it like it had grown two heads. She laughed and nodded at him, forcing him to open the cup to eat. As she put the TV back on sound, he pondered on whether or not he should tell her about his meeting with Itachi just merely an hour ago. But looking at her relaxing, finally, after seeing a vulnerable side of her, made Sasuke chose against it. He would have time, he decided, and it could wait. He would see Ichinose tomorrow and he'd just… take it from there. She didn't need to know about it—not until she solved her own problem first. He didn't want to trouble her more than she already was.

It was a little past two when Sasuke decided to go home.

"Just go to sleep," he told her, watching as Sakura struggled to get up from the couch, looking positively sleepy and deadly exhausted. "I'll close the door behind me."

"It's okay," she yawned, stretching her arms as they walked together to the door. "You're so nice today, you deserve an award. What do you want?"

He paused at this, considering for a little while. "Anything will do?"

She staggered towards the hallway, leaning on the wall for support, almost half-asleep already, as she agreed, "Anything will do."

"Oh," he said, "Then close your eyes."

"Will you carry me to bed?" she asked.

Sasuke almost smirked. Almost. Even in her state of sleepiness, she still had that side to her. "No. You're heavy."

Her green eyes widened just a tiny bit, as much as her body allowed them to. "I've lost some weight since… since then," she protested, remembering the night she fell asleep at his place, and by association, the morning after.

"Well…" he paused again, pretending to give it some thought, and then smirked at her. "Maybe."

It was her turn to pause to consider his words. She angled her head and frowned. "No," she said then, "I don't want you to carry me."

"That's a relief," he agreed, more amused than anything. He stepped forward and caught her chin between his fingers, "Close your eyes, Sakura."

"Mm-hmm," she mumbled, her eyelids dropping shut obediently.

Sasuke leaned forward, and to her surprise, brushed his lips against her forehead in one quick, soft motion. Her eyes opened, and then widened, all the sleepiness chased out of her system. She was about to protest when she felt his lips on hers all of a sudden, his arms circling around her waist. Involuntarily, she closed her eyes again and sighed into his kiss, melting in his embrace.

And then he released her, feeling a surge of male pride when she panted softly, breathless.

"So," he began, "Strawberry cheesecake isn't that bad."

She blushed a lovely shade of red when she understood the implication behind his words, and then glared at him, although the power of the glare was effectively reduced to less ten percent by the fact that she was as red as a tomato.

"So that was the first half of my prize," he said softly, "I'll claim the second half soon."

Her cheeks reddened more if it were possible. "Sasuke!"

Sasuke opened the door and chuckled, liking how she looked like an angry goddess. "Goodnight, Sakura."

.

.

.

**tbc.**

* * *

**a/n:** Thank you for reading. (:


	15. xv

**a/n:** Thanks for the reviews. :)

* * *

**fifteen.**

.

.

.

"So did you get permission from lover-boy, Sakura?"

Sakura blinked, and then looked up. Sai slid into the seat next to her, setting down a cup of coffee on the table and pushing it to her direction. She reached for it, a nostalgic look on her face before sheepishness graced her features, a slight blush colouring her cheeks.

"No," she admitted finally, "He doesn't know I'm here."

"Well?" He raised his eyebrows, lifting up his own cup of black coffee. "What do you want to talk about?"

Sakura swallowed, and then hastily replied, "I need a lift."

"Where to?"

"My parents' home," she said. In all truth, she could have taken a bus or something, but that could probably take more time than necessary—time she didn't actually _have_.

Karin had called her last night, again, and this time she didn't only schedule a meeting, she secured one between Sakura and their grandfather for tonight. Needless to say, that had pushed all of her buttons and sent her spiraling into anxiety, something she really, really, _really_ could do without. She supposed it was only natural for her to ask Sai to go with her; Tenten was busy _again_ and Sasuke… while Sasuke knew about her problems now, she wasn't sure that he was ready for that meet-the-parents stage, considering they weren't even in an official relationship of the sorts. So really, Sai was her only hope—and the fact that he had _something_ to do with Karin's proposition urged her to ask him.

Sai was quiet for a while, but then he just nodded. "Alright."

"Thank you." She smiled gratefully. "I'll pay for breakfast. And lunch."

He just smiled that quiet, forced smile again, but for some reason, she found that she didn't mind it as much as she used to. "Is this really okay, though?" he asked, sounding doubtful for a moment, "Your lover-boy gets jealous easy. Looks like you have a keeper, Sakura."

Sakura's eyes widened, a little baffled to find herself talking so casually about her kindofsortofmaybe boyfriend with her ex-boyfriend, and a little more than a little baffled that the latter was being supportive. Somehow, she managed to regain her composure. "He's really not my 'lover-boy' or something—it's early days," she smiled uneasily as he raised his eyebrows in question, "And he has a name."

"Uchiha Sasuke. I know him, he's quite well-known," he agreed, "Quite a catch, huh?"

"Oh, Sai." She rolled her eyes. "It's really too early to be talking about that kind of stuff."

"Alright." He shrugged, then drained his coffee cup. Producing some bills from his wallet, he stood up. "Anyway, it's better to get going now, before we catch traffic."

"That's right," Sakura agreed quickly, following his lead. "Let's go."

Sai only nodded and led her out of the coffee shop. It didn't take them long to get into his car, and after that, only about two or three hours to Sakura's parents' home, which was well into the countryside. Once they arrived, they climbed out of the car. Much to her relief and slight appreciation, he didn't open her door for her. It had been one of their private jokes back when they were a couple, and it would be really so awkward if he tried to pull the same stunt now, when she wasn't really clear on what they were and what they should be. It was just plain awkward.

"We're here," Sai spoke up when Sakura had stared at the door for more than five minutes. "You probably want to knock, ring the bell, or something."

"Knock," Sakura replied, a little breathless for reasons she didn't understand. Panic surged in her chest—not because she was meeting her parents, but because she was about to tell them something they probably wouldn't like. "Okaasan hates doorbells, it reminds her of her old family home."

Wisely choosing not to comment, he reached out and knocked on the door, the sound it made dull and hollow.

Several seconds later, the door was opened, and a woman in her mid-fifties appeared behind it. Her rose-colored hair was held up into a messy bun behind her head, several strands tucked behind her ear. Her dark green eyes were kind and wise, and the air that hung around her was maternal and comforting. Sai immediately recognized her as Haruno Honoka, Sakura's mother. The woman immediately reached out to pull Sakura into a tight hug, releasing her only to smile up at Sai.

"Hello, you two!" she said, her voice cheerful, "What a pleasant surprise!"

"Honoka-san." Sai smiled politely. "How have you been?"

"I've been wonderful! Living in the countryside has done _wonders_ to my health!"

"That's a really good thing to hear," Sakura remarked, relief flooding her chest.

Honoka's rather poor health had been the main reason why her parents moved to the countryside, apart from the whole safety-so-they-couldn't-be-tracked-down-easily thing. While Honoka wanted to make amends, Sakura's father clearly didn't want to, thinking that it was best to stay away from such a family. Sakura thought so, too.

"Well, why don't you two come in?" Honoka asked, stepping aside to give way, "Just sit down and make yourselves comfortable."

"Okaasan," Sakura reached for her mother's hand and stopped her before she rushed to get them drinks, cookies or whatever, "Listen. There's something I need to tell you and… I'm not sure you're going to like it."

xx

Sixty seven miles from Sakura and Sai, Naruto watched, anxiously, as Sasuke paced around the room.

Being Sasuke's right hand, he had heard every detail about Itachi and Madara, having to force it out from Sasuke earlier this morning. Truth be told, although he'd never say it in front of his best friend, Itachi was probably right. Madara _was_ a little suspicious, all the more so because he _never_ made mistakes. And Naruto, who had been selected to closely supervise that area of the company, had thought that the whole perfection thing he had going was something to be wary of.

That wasn't to say that Itachi hadn't been suspicious, too. Anyone in their right mind wouldn't trust what he said just like that, because really, he had done terrible things in his life just as well as everyone else, and none of them made him endearing to the eyes.

For Sasuke to be blood relations with the both of them… sometimes, Naruto wondered how he managed to stay sane despite it all.

And now, with all the documents spread out on the table right in front of him… Naruto wasn't quite sure what to make of the whole thing. Because if _these_ were true—if these were true, it would mean that they had been fooled, and they had been fooled big time. If these were true, it would mean that Madara was undoubtedly more than what met the eyes, so much more a conniving bastard they really had to keep all eyes on. If these were true, it would mean that Itachi had been right all along, and he had been doing it _for Sasuke_.

That would kill him, Naruto thought, a wave of panic surging in his chest. Sasuke had never been able to accept Itachi and anything related to his older brother easily, and the fact that he might have been doing it for _Sasuke_ all these years would just… kill him.

"So," Naruto began, picking up the document right in front of him. _Limited Liability Company Ownership Purchase Agreement._ He ran his eyes through it, cringing at words like 'ownership' and 'benefits' and 'shares' and swallowing when he found 'Uchiha Madara'. Looking up at Sasuke, he staggered. "So. This looks pretty real."

"Like hell it does," Sasuke muttered, leaning against the sofa, closing his eyes, "Ah, fuck."

The blond sighed, his brows dipping as he moved on to another document. _Shareholder Agreement_ — _Document Date — …_ Ah, fuck, indeed. "I can't believe it," he said finally, "We've been… he lied to us. All of us. That's quite something."

"Something," Sasuke repeated. "That's quite something."

"Yeah," Naruto said, "That's quite something of him to pull this stunt with us. And that's quite something of Itachi, too, to hide something this important and suddenly come back declaring he'll save this from drowning in shit for too long." He eyed the document warily and put it on the table. "We have to do it, Sasuke."

Sasuke didn't say anything, just stared at the table. It was one thing to hear it from Itachi, who had _lied_ to him all these years. It was a completely different thing to see it so evidently _true_, right in front of his very eyes.

Both Uchiha Fugaku and Uchiha Mikoto had been threatened to sell the shares they owned of the company to Uchiha Madara, several months before their accidental death. Adding those shares to what Madara originally owned, that made it up to around 43 percent of all of the shares, larger than anyone else's. Technically, he _did_ own the company in that respect—most of the profit went to him, a benefit he had gained unfairly.

By threatening his _parents_.

It was a recipe for disaster, Sasuke thought, but so perfectly planned that both Itachi and he fell for that. It was quite possible that Madara had calculated everything, starting from Itachi's unnecessary protectiveness, hiding everything from Sasuke, and Sasuke's reaction to his older brother's so-called 'betrayal'. It was the perfect plan, the perfect recipe for the perfect disaster Madara had wanted. The man had always been one step ahead of them, and Sasuke _hated _it.

How could he have been so _blind_?

"So what are you going to do now, Sasuke?"

Sasuke looked up at the question. There really wasn't much questioning to do in that respect, really. He had to do something, that was for sure. He couldn't leave Madara _just like that_, so happily immersed in his own success, his _temporary_ success. He had to do something. He could buy his shares, or at least offer to, because Madara wouldn't give up like that. Take away his shares, but face it, that would mean breaking the employee contract agreement and that would cost lots of money and generate negative publicity, so that wouldn't work too.

His face darkened. There had to be _something_ he could do to save it all—

—_but what? And how? _

"I don't know," he groaned, and for the first time in his life, really meant it. "I don't fucking know myself."

xx

"… and I don't know what to do," Sakura said, hands clasped tightly on her lap as she stared right ahead, her gaze glued to the wall over Honoka's frail shoulder. She took a deep breath and dared herself to look at Honoka.

The older woman looked indifferent, her gaze controlled and her back straight as she listened closely to Sakura's words, occasionally nodding, shaking her head, or chuckling in that oh-I've-been-there-before way. Much to Sakura's relief, she wasn't shocked, which would have been bad for her health. Instead, she looked as if she had seen this coming from years ago, but somehow, Sakura still found it hard to breathe.

"Okaasan?" she started, her voice painfully timid, "I… I'm sorry."

"Oh, you silly girl!" Honoka quickly exclaimed, reaching to squeeze her daughter's trembling hands, "What are you sorry for? You didn't do anything wrong."

"I just—" Sakura frowned. "I'm not sure what you want me to do."

Honoka's eyes softened upon hearing the answer. "You are such a selfless child," she whispered softly, "Thinking about what _I_ want you to do instead of what you want to do yourself… Sakura, you really _do_ take after your father."

"What do you mean?"

"Me, I'm not a selfless person." Honoka laughed. "You know me, don't you? I was raised rich and spoiled, my every wish fulfilled. I know I changed when I fell in love with your father, and I wouldn't have it any other way, and you… you're just like him." When Sakura didn't respond to that, she smiled and gently took Sakura's hands in hers. "Listen to me, sweetheart. You should do what you think is right. I won't ask for anything from you as long as you consider what you're going to do very, very carefully." She squeezed her hand and gave a small, halted laughter. "It's just like your grandfather to do that, though."

"Don't you… don't you want to meet him, Okaasan?"

Honoka's lips thinned at the question, but she kept the smile blossoming on her face somehow. "I do," she said quietly, ruefully, "I honestly really, really do want to meet him. It's just that… I don't know. What do you think, Manabe?"

For the first time, Manabe, who had been silent since the start of the conversation save for some 'ah's and 'oh's, looked up to his wife. His face was expressionless, devoid of any sort of emotion, and Sakura felt a shiver running down her spine at the lack of warmth in his face. This wasn't the father she knew and understood; this was Haruno Manabe, once fallen and betrayed when he needed help the most. However, before she realised it, he gave a small smile and reached to touch Honoka's shoulder in a comforting gesture. "If you want to meet him," he said, his voice gentle, and Sakura felt like she knew the man once again, "then maybe it's time to stop running away and face it head first, Honoka."

"Are you saying that I should take the job?" Sakura asked, her voice shaky. She was suddenly glad that Sai was waiting outside. If he heard her now, she would never be able to live it down—except that Sai wasn't that bad, really. "Because…" she tried to swallow the lump in her throat, "because if you want me to, I will, Otousan."

Manabe smiled at Sakura. "Do you want to take the job?"

"No!" she exclaimed at once, "It's, oh, something I can never imagine working as."

"Then maybe you shouldn't," he said.

"However," Sakura began again, turning to her mother, "doesn't this mean that he's reaching out for you, Okaasan? Shouldn't we… I don't know, don't you want to give him a chance?"

"Chances, eh?" Honoka's face softened at the word. "I do wonder if he's really reaching out to me, or if it's just another way to remind me of what I've sacrificed in order to be with Manabe…" She reached for her husband's hands and immediately his arms circled around her fragile form, supporting her. "In which case, he really doesn't have to do that. I know well what I've left behind and I know for sure that it's nothing because what I have with Manabe… I'll give anything to keep it." Her smile was warm and peaceful as she stared at her husband, her green eyes gentle and full of love.

A smile crept up to Sakura's lips at the scene unfolding before her eyes, but then she remembered why she was here.

"Listen, Sakura," Manabe started, his face serious, "Your mother and I… this is nothing new for us. Yes, this is a new opportunity, and yes, _perhaps_ it can be one for the best, but we don't want you to sacrifice things you shouldn't. This isn't your fault, and it shouldn't be you who have to sacrifice things. All we want for you is to do what you think is right. If you want to take the job, then you take it—but you have to understand _why_ it's right for you beforehand. We want the best for you, and _nothing_ about us should hinder that because there's nothing we want more in this world than your happiness."

Sakura's eyes immediately softened, her throat constricting as she felt her eyes grew hot, "Thank you, Otousan."

Honoka reached for Sakura's hand and put it on top of Manabe's and her own, intertwining them together.

"We love you, sweetheart," she said softly, "and no matter what you do, remember that, alright? Would you promise me that?"

"I promise," Sakura replied, her voice a whisper. And then made a decision.

xx

In all twenty-five years of his life, Sai understood one absolute thing about Sakura. It was that whenever she had made a decision, it was extremely hard, almost impossible, to change her mind. It wasn't as if he wanted to change her mind, too, because frankly, it was none of his business, but the way she gripped her handbag so tightly, her face white, made him so uncomfortable that he couldn't stop casting sideways glance at her.

"Are you sure that you want to do this?" he asked, the car slowing down a little as they entered the Miyazawa long driveway. They had only passed the first security point; they still had time to go back if she suddenly wanted to.

"Yes," Sakura answered quickly. "Yes, I want to do this."

"Alright," Sai replied, speeding up a little as he watched her eyes grow more determined each passing second. After passing several more security guards, he parked the car near the large wooden doors of the Miyazawa mansion and stepped down. Sakura whipped out her BlackBerry and dialled a number, her voice a hushed whisper. A few seconds later, the butler came out and escorted them inside to the living room, where Karin was already waiting. There was a silver-haired young man standing right next to her armchair who Sakura immediately recognized as Suigetsu, Karin's on-off boyfriend and long-time lover.

"So," the red-haired woman smiled brightly as she stood up to approach Sakura, "Sai managed to convince you, huh?"

"No," Sakura denied softly, "he didn't even have to try. This is my own choice, Sai has nothing to do with it."

"Ah, I knew he wouldn't do as I said," Karin rolled her eyes, and then shot a sharp glance at Sai, who looked away. "Well, all the better. If Sai has to help you make your choice, then it probably wouldn't last very long." Her eyes gleamed. "You do know what coming here tonight means, right?"

"That I would take up your offer?" Sakura asked bitterly. "Yes, I do. But I have some conditions."

The redhead raised a smooth eyebrow. "Shoot."

"I'm not going to live here," she began, her voice a little bit stronger as her face turned emotionless, "and I'm not going to change my name. I'm a Haruno. I was born a Haruno and I will _stay_ a Haruno for as long as I want to, and I damn right want to now. However I _will_ work for that company of yours, Karin. I'll take up whatever position you offered me and I'll work my best."

"I'm not sure what Ojiisan is going to say about that," Karin said quietly, thoughtful for a moment, "Well, but I'm pretty sure your living status and your surname are negotiable things, for the moment. I don't think he wants _you_ personally, anyway."

Sakura's smile tightened. "That's what I thought."

"Alright." Karin's eyes gleamed. "I'll make all the necessary arrangements and call you as soon as you're set for work."

"Right," the pink-haired woman bit her lip, watching with the corner of her eye as Sai and Suigetsu talked in the corner, the latter looking decidedly enthusiastic while the former looking a little disturbed. She suddenly felt grateful that Sai hadn't tried to meddle in her business at all—which, had he still been her boyfriend, would have happened. He would have stopped her because he knew _she _knew what kind of people the Miyazawas were. Having being friends with Suigetsu, who had been Karin's boyfriend and thus associated with her family in the longest time possible, all those years had taught Sai, if anything, that the Miyazawas were not to be played with. This was Sakura's choice, however, and she knew that Sai and his past experiences had nothing to do with it. She cleared her throat and met Karin's eyes head on. "Well, that's all, then. Goodnight, Karin."

She was about to turn around when Karin suddenly interrupted, "A piece of advice, Sakura."

"Yes?"

"There's no turning back from this, hon," the red-haired woman said, and there was an incomprehensible look in her normally fierce bright eyes that discomfited Sakura in the strangest way possible, "Once you're in, you're in for life. Maybe even longer."

Sakura swallowed. "I know."

Karin looked at her sharply, expectantly, and then asked, "You don't want some more time?"

"What good would it make?" was the bitter reply, accompanied with a shrill laughter. Sakura returned Karin's gaze evenly, her face perfectly square. "I've made my decision. Prolonging telling you wouldn't have made it better, I'm sure. I don't need two more days, I know what I want to do and I will do it."

Suddenly Sai spoke up. "Are you sure?"

"Yes."

"Fine," Karin shrugged, and then offered Sakura a hand. "Welcome to the Miyazawas, Haruno Sakura. We're not a friendly bunch of people and I can't say you'll enjoy your stay—but you better learn to, because this is it, darling. This is for life."

Sakura nodded and took the hand without hesitating. "This is it."

_This is it._

.

.

.

**tbc.**

* * *

**a/n: **Thanks for reading!

Also, **Zero**, I'm not sure how to take this, but since you get the chance to say what you think of me, then I get the chance to say what I think of your comment, too. You are on anonymous, though, so I can't take this up personally with you. I'd rather that you did.

See, I wouldn't have re-uploaded this story if people didn't ask. I certainly don't have time (or the motivation, I'll admit) to edit all 100k words of this story in one go. I meant it when I said dividing it makes the workload look more manageable.

Whether you think I'm deserving of these reviews or not, I am very grateful for each and every one of them, even yours. I'm actually sure that many others think the way you do, so thank you for giving me the chance to say what I think of it.

I'm not hoping that you'll understand. Maybe you wouldn't, since you seem to have made a judgment of me already even though you don't know anything about me past this story, but please, look at your facts before you attack me. Do I beg for reviews? No. Do I set target reviews and hold chapters hostage if I don't get them? No.

Bottom line is this: no one is forcing you to read this story. If you don't like it, then **please stop reading it**. I'm not denying my mistakes since I'm a hundred percent sure there are grammar and spelling errors still—my English isn't perfect, and I never claim that it is—and I would actually appreciate any insight you could give me on the matter. I'm always looking for ways to improve, and I welcome any criticism you can offer me, provided you don't call me pathetic without basis again.


	16. xvi

**a/n:** Almost forgot to update, but here it is! Thanks for the reminders, haha. Also thank you so, so much for all the support last week, guys. You are all very, very kind, and words can't express how much I appreciate that. Enjoy the chapter! :)

* * *

**sixteen.**

.

.

.

"You're a bitch."

Hearing the sudden, unexpected statement, Karin put down her teacup and raised her eyebrows, glancing across the room to Suigetsu. "What do you mean?" she asked, her voice smooth.

Suigetsu pocketed his hands and walked towards her, his steps lazy and his smirk unreadable. "Sai told me what your little cousin is like."

"Did he?" She picked up her teacup again and brought it to her lips, her eyes watching Suigetsu as he approached her.

"Yes," he said, "and she's soft. Like a marshmallow. But brittle. She's going to break."

Karin smiled thinly. "Really, now?"

"She's going to break," Suigetsu repeated, fingers cupping her chin as he stared into those pools of blood red, "She's going to break, you know it and you _didn't stop her_."

"It's not my decision to make."

"No, but you could have made that part clear to her."

"What, that Ojii-san is _never_ going to let her go because his most beloved daughter left him and he's going to do anything to keep anything that's hers with him so she'd come back?" she asked, sarcastically, and then laughed, "That will only make it more complicated. Besides, since when are you such a generous darling, Sui?"

"She's gonna get _drilled_."

Karin rolled her eyes. "I don't care, Sui, really."

"But you feel bad," he said, his tone more of a statement than a question.

Her eyebrows dipped and she pushed his hand away from her. "About what?"

"Dragging Sakura into this."

"You usually read me better than this, Sui," Karin said flatly, standing up and pulling her close to him. He pressed his face into the crook of her neck, his arms circling around her waist, and she breathed, relaxing, feeling his lips brush her skin. "And you know I don't care. At all."

"Bitch," he muttered into her shoulder.

"Like you're any better," she purred seductively, hands clutching his shirt, undoing the buttons, "Besides, _you_ turned me into this."

"Yes." His tongue darted out to lick the soft skin. "Because you're _mine_."

"No," Karin disagreed, pushing him away from her, only to pull him back and kiss under his jaw, knowing it was his weak spot. "_You_'re mine."

xx

It was already nine but Sasuke was still sitting on his desk, several stacks of files in front of him as he went through them one by one, analysing each number, reading every line carefully. He didn't care if this was going to take him forever to do it; he _would_ find something that could help his case. This wasn't something he had a choice in, after all, if he wanted to save the company—and he did. He did, and he didn't know how to start but this, so he'd start here.

He was about to move to the second stack when his phone rung, loudly, and he picked it up.

"Sasuke?"

There was a slight detachment in her voice that sent him alert at once. This wasn't the tone he was expecting when he picked up, because, oh, for God's sake, this was _Sakura_, and if anything, it was that she would never, never, never sound so _sad_. "Sakura?"

"Hi," she replied, and then coughed a little, "Where are you? Are you busy?"

He glanced at the documents in front of him, and pushed them away without thinking. "No."

"Right," she paused, hesitated, and then asked, "Well, where are you?"

"The office," he said. "Where are _you_?"

"At home," said Sakura, and there was a most curious ruffle of tissues and sniffling, suspiciously sounding as if she had covered the phone with her hand or a pillow.

"Oh." He stared up at the ceiling and made his decision in less than three seconds. "Do you want me there?"

She tried to laugh, but it sounded so weak and not so happy that Sasuke felt worried at once. "Kind of," she said after a while, her voice a little shaky, "If you don't have anything better to do, that is."

"I'll be there in thirty," he promised quickly, and when he heard her muffled agreement, hung up.

It didn't take him more than two minutes to get out of his office, making sure that every file was in place and out of reach from any intruder, and it only took him another fifteen to reach her apartment. He wasn't sure how he got there so quickly. He was pretty sure he didn't drive like a maniac, although that _probably_ could have been it, knowing himself. Truthfully, though, everything was kind of a daze. He just wanted to get to her apartment as soon as possible.

When Sasuke finally reached her door, Sakura was already waiting with two cups of strawberry cheesecake ice cream, an unmistakable grin on her lips although she did look exhausted.

"Seriously?" he asked, eyeing the cup as if it was poison, walking with her into the living room.

"Seriously," she gave him a quiet smile, forcing him to receive the cup. "Take it."

Sighing heavily as if this burdened him, Sasuke took the cup and sat down on the couch, taking the spoon and jabbing the ice cream suspiciously. He looked up and sharply met her eyes. "What's wrong?"

Sakura stared at him for a long, long time, her eyes searching his face. She smiled, sighed, and then sat down next to him. "I can't do this anymore," she said suddenly, meeting his eyes, "I mean, I can't… just tell you there's nothing wrong. Because we've made that deal. And you have to know the truth. And… I want you to know the truth."

"The truth about what?"

A sad smile curved her lips. "I accepted their offer, Sasuke."

"Which offer?"

"The job offer," she said quietly, taking a spoonful of ice cream, "I accepted Karin's job offer. I'm going to work as a finance consultant as they want me to, where they want me to, when they want me to."

Sasuke looked at her, studying her face.

Before he got the chance to say anything, though, she said, "I think it's for the best."

"Do you really?"

"Yes." She smiled here. "Even if it's a job I don't like, even if it's a family I'd rather not be a member of. I think it's for the best."

Sasuke's voice took a sharp turn. "For your mother, you mean."

Flinching at the edge in his baritone, she looked away, feeling as if someone had squeezed her heart. "I didn't say that."

"No, but you didn't have to," he sighed.

"I don't think it's wrong to do that," she persisted, turning to look at him now, a shine in her eyes, "Maybe it's not the best for me, but it's the best for my mom. For my family. And maybe it _can_ be the best for me—in the long run. I mean, it's not a job I enjoy now, but that can change. I might enjoy it later. After all, it's a loss if I don't use what I've studied in university. I might discover my 'hidden talent' or something like that," her smile faded here, "You never know, right?"

Sasuke looked at her. "That's true," he agreed, "You never know until you try."

"And that's what I'm doing," she said, nodding along, more to herself than to him, "Trying. That's what I'm doing."

"Sakura, I'm not sure—"

"But I _am_," she interrupted him, putting the cup down on the table and then clasping her hands together tightly. "I _am_ sure, you know? Or at least… at least I should be. I _should_ be sure, because if what I'm doing is right… because if what I'm doing is right, then it will be fine in the end. Better than fine. Because my parents—they will be happy, and that's… that's all that matters to me. That's all that _should_ matter to me."

He gave her a long, thoughtful look. "Are there other things that matter to you but shouldn't?"

"Well, _yes_," she answered, without even having to think about it, and laughed strangely here, "I'm worried about… about… many other things. But mostly I'm worried if it will fail, you know. If my grandfather hasn't changed. If my mom will end up unhappy because of this. If my dad can never find it in himself to _like_ my grandfather, and if that will hurt my mom. I don't know. I'm just really, really, really, really, really worried. Even if I've made the right decision—and I'm _sure_, I should be sure, that I have."

There was a look in her eyes that told him that she was afraid, very much afraid, that he would convince her otherwise, that she needed _nothing_ but support right now, that she needed him to convince her that she had made the right decision—even if she hadn't.

And Sasuke very, very much wanted to help her. Only this was Sakura, and subconsciously or not, Sakura didn't leave people any room to help her. She was kind of like him—like how he used to be, before her. Only she hid it better.

So instead of saying anything, he just looked at her, waiting for her to say something.

"I need to know," she whispered then, and she sounded like she was about to cry that pure panic surged in Sasuke's chest, all of a sudden, "Am I doing the right thing, Sasuke? Am I?" she looked at her hands, and then at him, "I feel like I don't know anything anymore, and that's stupid. That's stupid, right?"

"Sakura—"

"Oh dear," she paused, straightening up at once, and then smiled weakly, "I'm a mess, aren't I?"

"You are," he sighed, not bothering to hide the truth from her, "but that's okay. You're not sure you've made the right decision or not, and I can't tell you if you had. I won't lie to you, Sakura, I won't sugar-coat what I think just for your pleasure. I don't know if you've made the right decision or not," he paused, meeting her gaze, "but I think you can make every wrong decision right. I think there's always a way to fix your mistakes—not undo them, that's impossible, but fix them. And I think," he paused again, this time taking her hand and covering her fingers with his, "I think _you_ can do this, because—"

It was her turn to look at him, now, and when she did, her eyes were wide. "What if I can't?"

"You can," he told her, "Just—"

"Yes, but what _if_ I can't?" she persisted stubbornly.

"You _can_," he repeated, his voice stronger now as he lifted her chin, forcing her to look him in the eye. "Now would you just stop cutting me and let me talk?"

She smiled a little here. It was little, but it was real, and Sasuke's heart constricted as she prompted, "Yes?"

Subconsciously, Sasuke's eyes softened at her expression. "This is something you can do, Sakura," he said, watching as she laced their fingers together even more tightly, "Do you know why I'm very sure about it?"

"No," her smile widened slightly, "Why?"

"I think you're quite something," Sasuke replied, truthfully, "When I saw you at the party, I thought you were kind of crazy. Who the hell has pink hair in this time and age? When we met for the second, third, fourth, fifth, nth time… let's just say that I still think you're kind of crazy now."

"Hey!" She punched his arm playfully. "Wait, did you mean that?"

"Not in the way you think," he retorted, catching her hand before she could attack him again, and putting it in his hand, his expression turning serious, "I think you're crazy in a good way."

"Really?" Sakura smiled again, "How?"

"You're just crazy," Sasuke replied, meeting her eyes, and there was something in his eyes that told Sakura he was so, so very embarrassed to have admitted that, "Hell, you're _more _than crazy. You… you stay by my side even after the way I treated you. You trust me, trust that I'm not all bad. You make me smile. You make me _laugh_. Sakura, if that's not crazy, I don't know what is. And being crazy… rather makes you kind of… well. Special."

She was really smiling by now. "You're really sweet, aren't you?"

Sasuke's face darkened immediately. Whatever he was expecting, it was most definitely not that. "Sakura—"

"I think you're sweet," she said, her voice with a tone of finality in it, "I think you're really, really sweet. You didn't have to say that just to make me feel better. Even if it's a lie, I really appreciate it. Thank you."

"It's not a lie."

"Yeah?" she arched an elegant eyebrow, obviously not believing him, although her smile was saccharine sweet and nonchalant, "Well, whatever you say—just. Just thank you. I feel so much better already, seriously."

It was his turn to raise his eyebrows. "Do you, now?"

"Yes," Sakura nodded. "I just feel like… I can do it. And even if I can't," her eyes softened as she met his gaze, feeling his fingers squeeze hers, "Even if I can't, you'll be fine with that."

"Of _course_ I'll be fine with that—"

She reached out and put her hands in the back of his neck and brushed her lips against his for a split second, successfully making him freeze. Laughing a little, she pulled back to give him a long look, her fingers reaching up to touch his cheek ever-so-softly as she said, "I don't think I'll see you in a while after today."

His eyes narrowed, clearly disapproving of the idea. "Why?"

"They won't give me much freedom, you know," she said, "I'm a new employee, one they have to kind of fight for… I'm pretty sure they won't let me go easily. Or if they ever will."

"That's bullshit," Sasuke said. "Real companies don't do that to their workers."

"Well, that's what you think," she laughed, and then treaded his hair with her fingers, "Fact is, Sasuke, you're really sweet to your employees. You don't treat them like shit, you treat them like _people_. And… that's, well, not very often."

"Are you saying that they would imprison you?"

"Something like that," she smiled, tucking her head under his chin, breathing in his scent, "So… savouring what I can, while I can."

Something _clicked_ in Sasuke's eyes and he chuckled in amusement. "You call _this_ savouring?" he asked, his tone mischievous, "No, Sakura, this is like dipping your toes in the water when you can just _dive_."

Her eyes were bright. "Yeah?"

"Yeah." He pulled her up, his hand at the small of her back as he pushed her down the couch, on top of her all of a sudden, their ice cream cups forgotten on the coffee table. "And I'm going to teach you what savouring _really_ is."

He kissed her again, from her hair, her forehead, her nose, and then her mouth.

When his lips brushed the curve of her shoulder like a gentle caress of the wind, Sakura surrendered.

.

.

.

**tbc.**

—

**a/n:** Thanks for reading!


	17. xvii

**a/n:** Thanks for the reminder! And for the reviews and support, as always. I really appreciate them!

* * *

**seventeen.**

.

.

.

Sometimes she wondered if it was okay.

This… this _thing_ between Sasuke and her. She wondered if it was okay, if one of them would get hurt, if _both_ of them would get hurt. They would only get hurt if feelings were involved, and… and she didn't know. Were there feelings involved? Did he feel anything for her that was more than what their deal proposed? Did _she_ feel anything for him that was more than she was ready for?

She wasn't sure.

Uchiha Sasuke, despite how he was when no one else was looking, was _different_, for the lack of a better word. He wasn't like Sai. He could read her like an open book. He worried about her, worried for her well-being, but didn't stop her from doing what she wanted or what she thought was right, and she… she appreciated that. All she needed, after all, was some encouragement, some… some kind of _support_, that everything would be alright in the end.

Sai would never give her that. Sai was blunt, decisive, and he believed he knew best. Perhaps he did—she never did find out in the end. Sai trusted her, but above that, he wanted to protect her.

Sakura didn't need protection. She didn't _want_ protection.

She needed someone to trust her—and Sasuke did just that, tonight.

Did she _love_ him?

In all honesty, she didn't know. What she felt right now was different with what she felt for Sai, and she had been in love with Sai—at least, she thought she was. Did that mean she wasn't in love with Sasuke? She didn't know that, either.

All she knew was that she didn't mind not knowing. Not now. Not yet. They had other priorities, and this, whatever this was, could wait. She had her family to think about, and her new job at the Miyazawa's, which would start tomorrow. He had his company to save, and his problems with Itachi to solve.

This could wait.

This, whatever this was, could wait.

Sakura closed her eyes, letting sleep take over her, and believed.

xx

Karin didn't like tardy people. She was always on time, sometimes ten minutes before time, and she liked it when people respected her enough to wait for her instead of having her wait for them.

Which was why when Sakura walked into her office ten seconds to ten AM, their promised time, she wasn't sure how to feel. On one hand, she barely made it. On the other hand, she basically _glowed_, as if this was one very happy day, and somehow, Karin disliked that. She shouldn't be happy. This was a hell hole—for her, anyway—and the only one allowed to be happy here was, well, those with power. And Sakura definitely didn't have that.

"Are you ready?" Karin asked, finally, casting all her thoughts away.

Sakura smiled simply. "Yes."

"Alright." The redhead stood up, picking up a file from her desk and giving it to Sakura. "I'll take you around the office for a small tour and then drop you to your cubicle. You'll have to sort out those documents before the end of the day, by the way, and that book contains all the rules you have to follow."

"Alright." Sakura nodded, glancing at the title of the file. A cubicle, and a task immediately on the first day. Well, that was expected. Everyone should start at the bottom, after all, and she was hardly anyone special. Worry tugged at her heart for a split second, for she suddenly remembered that she hadn't been doing any finance-related task since she graduated, but she supposed that was okay. _Don't let anything ruin your day_, Sasuke had told her earlier this morning, and that was exactly what she was going to do. She slipped it into her bag and looked at Karin expectantly. "So… tour?"

Karin nodded and motioned for her to follow around the office, floor by floor, detailing the most basic things to know: names of people of authority, copy rooms and coffee machines, who worked where and who did what. She kept on showing things before they finally stopped at a small cubicle across Karin's large office.

"This would be your working space," the Miyazawa continued, "You have everything you'll need, I think. As for ground rules…" she looked thoughtful for a while, "There aren't that many, actually. The usual stuff. No loud music, no loud noises, no loitering around during office hours. Your computer is connected to the company's network and file transfer should be easier, but everything you do is monitored, so you can't really browse anything during working hours. Everything you need to know should be in that file I gave you earlier."

Sakura nodded, putting her bag on the small table. "Thank you, Karin."

"That's alright… do you have any questions?"

"Not particularly."

"Well, you have lunch at one until two PM, but since it's your first day, Grandpa would like to… have a word with you."

It was Sakura's turn to raise her eyebrows, "Really."

"Yes, we'll have lunch together," Karin said, clearly unenthusiastic, although she smirked. "Consider it a privilege, Sakura. Not everyone gets invited to the president's private room on their first day. We normally only do that when we want to fire someone, to… soften the blow, as I like to call it."

Sakura laughed humourlessly, her voice thin. "I see."

"I'll get my assistant to drop by and tell you how to get supplies and how to use our integrated software at about twelve."

"Okay," she nodded her agreement again.

"Okay," Karin repeated, "I'll see you later."

Sakura gave her a solemn, calm smile. "See you later."

As she watched Karin walk away, red heels making a soft glow of a reflection on the polished floor, she covered her eyes with her hands and sighed gloomily. This was going to be a long, long day.

xx

_Balance sheets. Cash flow statements. Stakeholder agreements. _

Sasuke looked at the documents, all with various titles, on the table lying in front of him, Itachi, and Naruto. They all dated back to ten years ago, as Ichinose had retrieved for them to analyse.

"So," Naruto looked at the pile closest to him nervously, "This is probably going to take all day, huh?"

"And more," Itachi replied, smiling just a little, "And this is just the start."

"That's no problem," Sasuke added, "It's better than nothing."

"That's true," the older Uchiha agreed, "It's better than nothing, for it is a start. A very good start."

Naruto just shrugged and picked up the first document, sitting down and starting to read it. Sasuke and Itachi did the same, and for a moment they were so immersed on their work that nobody heard the knock on the door—until someone came waltzing in the room.

Uchiha Madara, in all truth, looked like any other Uchiha. Black hair, dark eyes that glinted reddish brown under the sun, a tall, muscular build. However, he also was one of the most conceited men to ever walk to earth.

"Madara," Sasuke addressed him calmly, and although he was surprised, he did not bother to hide what they were doing. Madara would have known anyway. "I thought I told Setsuna that we are not to be disturbed. What brings you here?"

"Setsuna was a little darling, she let me in. I came to talk about the company, dear nephew," Madara replied, "Or should I say _nephews_—Itachi, I did not think I would find you here. I must confess that I thought you were going to run away under all the pressure like you did the last time, given the opportunity."

Itachi didn't say anything, didn't even give so much an indication that he heard Madara, as he continued to study the document in front of him. Naruto glared at him for a split-second before turning away, huffing angrily.

"Enough," Sasuke thundered, "Say what you need to say, Madara. We do not have much time for—"

"I'm selling my shares," Madara said simply, interrupting Sasuke before he finished his sentence. "You know what that means, don't you?"

"Yes," Sasuke clenched his fists so tightly on the arms of his chair, his knuckles whitening. Since Madara had more shares than both he and Itachi had combined, it would mean that a takeover or an acquisition was bound to occur—which meant that the Uchiha's wouldn't be the _Uchiha_'s anymore, but only in name. Simply put, it was his parents' worst nightmare, one of his biggest fears. "Can I ask why?"

"Why sell my shares?" Madara raised his eyebrows and gave a low, throaty chuckle, "Well, simply put, it makes me sad to see a company not working its full potential, so… I am leaving."

Sasuke stood up, "What the fuck do you mean by that?"

"Let us be honest here, dear nephew, if I may be so frank…" Madara continued, "The company is not working as well as it could be in, say, _my_ hands. You are not so fit to own all this, so I'm doing something about it."

"You—"

"Sasuke."

The mention of his given name from his uncle's lips stopped Sasuke dead on his tracks.

"For someone who is in charge of such a big thing," Madara said, "your behaviour isn't going to get you far—or anywhere at all, did you know that, nephew?"

Feeling as if he had been slapped across the face, Sasuke just stared, angrily seething, but not saying anything. Words were wasted on this man, and he shouldn't spend any time _saying _anything. _Don't let anything ruin your day_, he thought, and clenched his fists harder. _Don't let _anyone _ruin your day_.

Madara looked at him, and then at Itachi, and then to Naruto, and then back at him. "I was being courteous by telling you what's going to happen," he said finally, walking to the door, "One day, Sasuke, Itachi—you would thank me."

"Not in your wildest dreams," Naruto muttered under his breath, once Madara was out of earshot, although he kept his eyes fixed on his paper, "What a—what an asshole. I can't believe you're related to someone so…so… _evil_!"

Itachi chuckled, but his voice was humourless. "Don't take what he said to heart, Sasuke," he told Sasuke instead, "You know that it was all big talk. You're good at what you do—I couldn't have done better myself."

"So what's going to happen now?" Naruto asked. "He's going to sell the company, and that's it? Once he finds a prospective buyer, that's it? We're done? Finished?" he scratched his head, "I don't really get it, to be honest."

"Well—the thing is, he owns more shares than both of us do," Itachi started to explain, a frown creasing his brows, "So if he sells it to, say, a company, there would either be a takeover or a merger, or we become a holding company. It's not _that_ bad, actually, depending on _who_ gets to buy it, but with the possibilities of what can happen… it's not a safe choice. Our parents wanted this to be solely us, solely the Uchiha's… it's _meant_ to always be the Uchiha's. That was their dream, create a company that saves a lot of people out there, makes a different in people's lives, and yet it would be _our _hard work. If this company is owned by someone else, they might want different things than we do, and… like I said, it's not exactly a safe choice."

"Alright," Naruto nodded, "Then we have to do what we have to do."

"Yes," Itachi agreed, "although it wouldn't be that easy for Madara, too, I suppose. He has the Uchiha elders to convince, as they also own some of the shares… not to mention that if he does something they don't like, he might be cut off all of our assets."

"He wouldn't want that, greedy little pig," Naruto muttered scathingly.

"No, he wouldn't want that," Sasuke agreed, glaring at the ceiling, and then sighing heavily as he dropped to his chair. He hung his head and sighed again. Seconds passed in silence before he finally looked up, his dark, dark eyes shining in more determination than ever, "That was a declaration of war."

Naruto raised his eyebrows, confused, "Yeah?"

"Yes. And… that's what we're going to do," he said, arrogance filling his eyes and tugging at the corners of his lips, "We're going to fight, and we're going to _win_."

.

.

.

**tbc.**

* * *

**a/n:** Thank you for reading. Have a lovely, lovely weekend, beautiful people!


	18. xviii

**a/n:** This one is for** les**, because she's a miracle and her reviews made me laugh. :D

* * *

**eighteen.**

.

.

.

This wasn't the first time they met, and perhaps it was his old age getting to him, but Haruno Sakura was the splitting image of Miyazawa Honoka.

Or perhaps it was the fact that they were, in fact, related by blood.

Akihito smiled—as much as he could, anyway, and that wasn't much at all—and gestured for the waiter to serve them. Gourmet meals on porcelain ware graced the table, but he kept his eyes trained on her. The way she gazed back at him, strong and calm, reminded him so much of his daughter. She was no doubt Honoka's daughter, both outside and inside.

Little did he know that his gaze actually unnerved Sakura.

Her fingers curled around the edge of her seat tightly, putting all of her willpower to keep her gaze steady. She had done no wrong, after all, so there was essentially no reason for her to feel anything at all.

But goodness, this man was Intimidating with a capital I. Looking into his eyes were like drowning in a pool of iced water, for they were… unfeeling. Cold. Ruthless. She didn't know it was possible for eyes to betray _nothing_, nothing at all, not even so much a sliver, a whisper, a ghost of emotion. It was almost inhuman.

"Shall we start?" Akihito gestured to the table.

Karin picked up her spoon and cleared her throat. Sakura almost jumped—she had forgotten that Karin was there, that Karin was _here_, in this room. Remembering about her cousin's presence comforted her. Karin would probably never help her even if she was being fed to hungry crocodiles, but at least she was there. At least Sakura wasn't completely alone in a room with _him_.

To think that one word could change a whole world, Sakura thought, watching as he started eating. He looked comfortable, very in control, very in his atmosphere. She glanced at the silverware in front of her—_the soup spoon is on your very right, Sakura, always remember to work your way in instead of out, and you'll be fine_—and hesitantly took the outermost spoon and dipped it into her soup.

Upon hearing a resounding chuckle, she looked up. Akihito was looking at her. "Your mother has taught you well, I see."

She stiffened. This was the first time he had brought up Honoka in front of her.

"Did she give you lessons herself?"

He was actually trying to engage her in a conversation. Well, wasn't that interesting.

"Yes," Sakura cleared her throat, "she taught me everything."

The corner of his lips turned upwards, but it resembled more of a sneer than a smile, "Everything?"

"Everything," she replied steadily.

"I would never have thought that she would," Akihito mused, "or that he would let her."

There was no second-guessing who 'he' was. "Well, she did," Sakura replied, a little bit snippily, "and he did. I would appreciate it, Akihito-san, if you don't talk about my father like that. My father is an honourable man—he never did anything wrong."

His placid eyes were unperturbed. "Except manners, I see."

Sakura dared herself to look him in the eye, smiling dryly. "I respect those that deserve it."

A chuckle escaped him, surprising her. "Mistake number one."

"I don't see how that's a mistake," she countered, feeling a little wild.

A part of her was screaming. Perhaps this was going to come and slap her right across the face, but for all that she cared, _no one_ insulted her father. _No one_, even if he was Miyazawa Akihito and he pretty much had everyone cowering at the sight of him. Another part of her was telling her to _shut up, shut up now_, before she ruined any chances of her mother reconciling with this _family_.

"Mistake number two," he said, "Don't be foolish, it will be your downfall."

"I'm not being foolish," Sakura replied, "I'm being honest with myself. There is a difference."

"And apparently there is still many things for you to learn," Akihito turned to the redhead sitting silently between them. "Karin?"

"Yes, Grandfather." For the first time, Karin spoke. She looked at Sakura in the eyes and recited, almost in a bored tone: "Table manners, traditional and contemporary dances, flower arranging, public speaking, cooking, Japanese tea ceremonies. Tell me if you've received professional training in any of them and we can talk about it."

Sakura stared. "Sorry?"

"From that list," Karin said impatiently, "which ones have you received professional training in?"

None, if she were to be honest. She was pretty sure that Honoka didn't count as a professional in their eyes. Not knowing how to reply, she griped her spoon harder and swallowed. "I don't see how that's any of your business," she spoke finally, although her voice was too soft for her liking.

"I'll take that as none," her cousin said wryly, and then turned to Akihito, "I'll work it out and we can be done in one month, give or take."

"Two weeks," was Akihito's reply.

"Two weeks?" Karin arched her eyebrows at this. She paused, doing some quick calculations in her head. "That's a little bit pressing it, but depending on how we go, it's not entirely impossible."

"What's not entirely impossible?" Sakura asked, annoyed that they were acting as if she weren't there, and more than a little bewildered at how Karin interacted with Akihito.

The level of formality both used with each other was simply disconcerting, even sort of frightening. They were blood-related and this was _lunch_, for goodness' sake. Was there no familial relationship between them at all? Was it all business? An employer-employee association? Was it because of her presence? Maybe they acted more amiably when she wasn't there, although judging by Karin's swift, undaunted responses, she was already used to it. Maybe this was the way they were. Involuntarily, she shivered. And this was the family she originally belonged to. She definitely didn't feel any sense of belonging—more like alienation.

"You're taking lessons," Karin explained.

Her eyes widened. "What for?"

"You haven't explained anything to her, have you, Karin?"

Even Karin—bold, daring Karin, as Sakura always thought she was—flinched at the cold tone in Akihito's voice, although she immediately recovered and bowed her head. "I haven't got the chance, Grandfather. I'm sorry, it won't happen again."

Sakura didn't say anything, opting to stay out of it. She almost felt sorry for Karin. Sipping her soup, she tried to let herself relax. No chance for that. The rest of the lunch went by in complete and utter silence, which both relieved and unnerved her. She almost thought that she was going to get verbally abused, but that didn't happen. It felt more like mental abuse since the cold atmosphere was really thick and heavy that it drove her crazy. She took every opportunity she could to look at him, examine him, waiting for the moment he would show any sign of emotion, but he never did. His eyes were charcoal black. His manners were impeccable. Every time he smiled, it really was _not_ a smile, it looked more like a sneer. He was cold—that was it, cold, just cold. There was nothing else in him that she could identify.

Miyazawa Akihito. His _blood_ ran in hers.

It was when he left, finally, noting that he had a business meeting to go to, that the strange ambience quietly dissipated.

Well, Sakura thought, that wasn't so bad, although she hardly ate. That wasn't the point of this lunch, anyway. She turned to Karin, who was sipping her wine. "You never said anything about taking lessons."

"No," Karin sighed, looking almost defeated, "but I'm going to, now."

"Why am I taking lessons?" Sakura asked, although she sort of already knew the answer.

"Sakura, honestly." Her cousin rolled her eyes. "You're _untrained_. What made you think that you could be a Miyazawa when we practically collected you from the streets?"

A part of Sakura felt offended while the other part told herself to just go with it. She had made up her mind, after all, and this was one of the consequences she would have to bear. Smiling dryly to herself, she sipped her water. Stick it out, and this might just be the opportunity to help her mother. She'd do anything for that.

"I'll handle this with Ougi-san, and you'll meet her as soon as possible," Karin said decisively, turning to her, her spunk suddenly back in fierce control, "Ougi-san will be teaching you everything you need to know in the shortest time. Two weeks, you heard Grandfather. Two weeks to learn everything, and—"

"What happens in two weeks?" Sakura interrupted.

"He's going to introduce you as a Miyazawa, of course," Karin rolled her eyes. "What, you think you'll be free? We're not that easy. Sakura, you have to understand. I'm not going to repeat this again and again and again, and you have to just _get _it in your thick head that you're all he has of Honoka-obasan right now. What makes you think that you get a say in this?"

"Karin—"

"Darling, don't humour yourself." Karin's ruby red eyes flashed. "You're already in too deep."

xx

Interesting.

Yes, he supposed that was the word. Interesting. Haruno Sakura was _interesting_. While she was quite possibly the splitting image of his long lost daughter, there was something different about her that he couldn't quite put a finger on.

Quite truthfully, and contrary to popular belief, Miyazawa Akihito didn't always know where he was going. He didn't know where he was going by bringing Haruno Sakura into this, for example. He didn't know what he was going to achieve. He didn't even know if there was anything he wanted to achieve. Everyone who knew seemed to think that he wanted to bring his daughter back, and maybe he did. He didn't really know. He didn't really _have_ to know, for everything was in _his_ control. He just had to wait and see how it played out.

Haruno Sakura. She had come into his office without hesitation when he called her in today. She didn't once try to look away when he stared her down. She didn't once talk back when he spoke to her. Her expression had been sort of priceless when he mentioned Honoka, though. Did Honoka set her up to this? What game was his daughter playing?

_His daughter_. Apparently his use of that term had not faded with time, even though his heart was hardened and he had long forgone the idea of having a daughter named Honoka.

Their lunch was short, yes, but it was enough for him to know what he wanted to know: just what kind of person Haruno Sakura seemed to be. Apparently being away from the Miyazawas did not cut away Honoka's wits or manners, for she had taught her daughter what she needed to know. It was almost like she was prepared. Ordinary people did not learn the skills the Miyazawas boasted to have, but it was what distinguished them from the mass, what made them different, what made them _strong_, all these years. Their family legacy, their family name, was not something just anyone could bear.

In two weeks, he would see to it that Haruno Sakura was everything she could have been had she been a Miyazawa. And in the process, maybe he would get Honoka to see what she had let slip off her fingers, too. And maybe, he would get her to regret it.

"Miyazawa-san."

Akihito looked up at the voice, and a lazy smile spread on his lips. "I would address you, but I don't know your name."

"Uchiha Madara," the newcomer supplied, completely undeterred by the slight mock in Akihito's voice. "Thank you for agreeing to come down to see me, Miyazawa-san."

There was no tone of reproach in his voice, nothing at all, and Akihito's smirk widened. To all intents and purposes, they appeared to be the same kind of person. It seemed like he could do with this man.

"Well then," he said, "Let's talk business."

xx

People, Sakura mused, were unfriendly here.

She found herself back in the office an hour after their lunch ended, and now she was munching on a bacon and egg sandwich. No one had talked to her or offered her anything. At first she thought it was because she was new, and everyone was awkward, but that didn't make a lot of sense to her. It would make a lot more sense if they were staring at her—she _was_ new in the office, after all—but they didn't even so much glance her direction. It was frustrating and relieving at the same time. Frustrating because she wanted to make friends, as it seemed to her that she would be staying longer here, and relieving because… well, because.

Her phone vibrated on the table, and she jumped.

"Hello?"

"Sakura." Her name. Her name was probably the warmest greeting she received today.

She sighed heavily, "Hi, Sasuke. How are you doing?"

"Fine," he answered. "How are _you_ doing?"

"Could be better," she replied honestly. He didn't say anything for a few moments, so she continued, "They gave me a small cubicle and a stack of files I have to go through."

"Sounds like you're working well," he said, and there was a teasing tone to his voice.

"On the work front, pretty well, actually," Sakura smiled, despite how she was feeling. It was amazing and sort of annoying how he could say something and she'd just feel better. What did that say about being an independent woman and all? Perhaps she should start looking after herself more. "Just failing really badly on everything else."

"What everything else is there?"

"Like making friends. Everyone's ignoring me."

"You're new."

"Yeah, but when I was new at my old place they were warm and friendly. They gave me muffins. Here, everyone just pretends that I don't exist. Seriously," she insisted when Sasuke snorted, "They would just walk past me, and they would just look _through_ me. It's annoying, Sasuke, but more than that, it's actually kind of sad. They don't look happy at all. Unlike the people who work at your company."

"The people in my company look _happy_ working?" his sarcasm was thick.

"Well, maybe not _happy,_" Sakura amended quickly, "Just, you know, _pleasant_. Like you can tell they don't hate their work."

"So you're saying that everybody hates their work over there."

"Maybe they don't hate their work," she replied thoughtfully, biting into her sandwich. It might be cheaper than the food at the restaurant earlier, but it tasted thousand times better. Especially because she was eating it with Sasuke on the phone, no matter how corny that sounded. "Maybe they just, well, I don't know. They don't enjoy it very much, it seems."

"Maybe they're like you," Sasuke supplied.

"Oh, like in the way they're forced to work here because of a contract?" Sakura asked, catching up quickly, and then laughed. "That's virtually impossible. I don't think my grandfather disowned _that_ many of his kids."

Sasuke just shrugged. "So what else did you do?"

"I had lunch with my grandfather and Karin today. It was awkward as hell, and I think I've said things I shouldn't have said if I wanted to stay here longer."

Clearly, Sasuke didn't miss the heaviness in her tone for he sighed. "Sakura…"

"I have to be here, though," she said quickly, before he had the chance to make her _want_ to change her mind. Honestly, at this rate she already kind of wanted to, and a little encouragement from Sasuke was most probably all it took to make her grab all of her belongings and run the hell away out of here. "I _have_ to be."

"Right," he said, although he didn't sound convinced.

His unspoken _why_ was enough prompt for her. Sakura put down her sandwich and stared at the small photograph of her parents she had in her bag. "I'll do anything for my family," she said softly, "Anything. Even if it means I have to do something unthinkable, or unforgivable. _Anything_."

"I know."

"Can you remind me that every time I needed reminding?" she asked hopefully.

Sasuke sighed again. "Sakura…"

"Thank you," she whispered, although he hadn't said yes yet. It was at this precise moment that Karin stepped out of her office, her eyes catching Sakura's. Hurriedly, she added, "Hey, I have to go now. I'll see you later—thanks for calling, Sasuke. I don't think I'll be seeing you this week, but you honestly _made_ my day, I swear."

She hung up without waiting for Sasuke's answer and swiftly gave Karin a sweet smile. "Hi."

"Your schedule for the next few weeks," Karin slapped down a file on her desk. "Can't do it in two weeks, but we'll see how it goes."

Sakura glanced at the file. It was colour-coded and detailed and everything. She could see that her weekends were taken, as well, and that it went more than two weeks. Her throat went dry, "Now this doesn't leave me room to do much else, does it."

"Nope," Karin replied, completely unmoved. "As you can see for yourself, it starts today." She pointed at the schedule and Sakura followed her finger. "I've talked to Ougi-san and she'll be handling everything. She'll meet you at the level one foyer at three PM today, so don't be late."

"What about work?" Sakura questioned.

"What about work?" Karin echoed, raising her eyebrows, "I'm being nice here by giving you things to prioritize on, Sakura, and you better do it. Don't push your luck."

With that, she strutted away, leaving Sakura with her jumbled thoughts and a brand-new jam-packed schedule.

'I don't think I'll be seeing you this week'? Yeah, right. At this rate, she probably had two whole months before she had the chance to _sleep_, let alone see Sasuke.

She was in, and she was in a little too deep. But there was no turning back.

.

.

.

**tbc.**

* * *

**a/n: **Thank you for reading, and have a lovely weekend, beautiful people!


	19. xix

**a/n:** Thanks for the reviews and PMs! I'm sorry I don't always reply and when I do it takes me ages, but know that I read each and every one of them and I really, really appreciate your support. ;A;

* * *

**nineteen.**

.

.

.

Several days had passed since Sakura started her new schedule, and she was already getting used to it.

Not.

If she weren't sleeping, she was working in the office. If she weren't working in the office, she would be getting lessons. If she weren't getting lessons, she was sleeping—sometimes on her desk.

Yes, she was _that_ tired.

She should have expected it, she supposed. These types of 'lessons' normally took over the course of one to three months, and here she was, having all of them squeezed into two weeks. It was _extreme_, but she wasn't about to complain. She had made up her mind, after all, and it would be unbecoming to simply change it because she was working to the point of exhaustion.

If there was anything good about it, it was that she knew, at least, that people cared about her. Tenten had taken to waking up really early to make sure Sakura had her fair share of 'healthy' breakfast, and sometimes she waited for Sakura to come back home, even if it was after midnight, ready with a steaming cup of chamomile tea. Sasuke was a different case. Since both of them were busy as hell, all they had within the past few days was phone calls. It should _have_ been enough—she wasn't clingy, _please_—but she rather missed him.

At the realization, Sakura sighed deeply and buried her head between her hands gloomily. She was _doomed_. There was no time to think about Sasuke when she had to memorize seventeen different tea used in tea ceremonies, or practice her dance steps, or try to distinguish between which spoon was used for dessert, or for beverages, or for soup. She knew perfectly well that she was being trained in the way only a Miyazawa would—the way Karin, and very possibly Honoka, did. She just never realized how much work it took.

"Are you alright, Sakura-san?"

"Oh!" she gasped, "Sorry, Ougi-san."

Ougi Kazuha, the teacher Karin assigned to her, was smiling at her. Her warm brown eyes were dancing in amusement as she took the seat beside Sakura, "Penny for your thoughts?"

Ougi was sweet and there was something very maternal in the air she brought about her. Even with her graying hair, she hadn't lost her elegance or wit or sharp eyes. It was no wonder that the Miyazawas trusted her very much. She was well mannered, polite, generous, and most of all, she knew how to carry herself. There wasn't a hair out of place. Her clothes were conservative and neat and slick. She smiled without giving too much away. She spoke and everybody listened.

"I'm alright, thanks." Sakura returned the smile. She quite liked her teacher a bit. "Just tired."

"Ah." Ougi nodded with understanding. She glanced at Sakura with concern in her eyes, almost looking apologetic, "I wish we can put this off another day, but we really cannot if we want to stay on track."

"I'm alright," Sakura repeated, "We can continue."

"Are you sure?" Ougi asked.

Sakura nodded, straightening up behind her table. She shook her head, clearing her mind off unnecessary thoughts and focused on the flowers on the table, identifying each of them by styles. _Seika. Jiyuka. Moribana_. And then, _Nageire_, her mother's utmost favourite.

"Alright, but we shall finish one hour earlier tonight, then. You still have to pick up your new dress and try it on, Sakura-san. That one can't wait since they might need to adjust it, okay?"

"Okay," Sakura said, mentally slapping her forehead. The dress. How could she even _forget_ the damned dress?

The damned dress was the one she would have to wear on the night she were to be introduced—which, to her relief, wasn't really a specific event after all. It was the product-launching event of one of Miyazawa's subsidiaries, and Akihito would take her there. From what Karin had told her, she just had to attend it, smile, be polite to people, and not answer any question. As long as she didn't have to change her name, Sakura was glad.

Ougi spoke again, her voice soft, "Let us continue, then."

The pink-haired woman picked up the single flower closest to her, taking a deep breath, and then dipped it into the vase.

This was going to be a very long day.

xx

This was going to be a very long day.

Sasuke stared at the documents he had in his hands and took a deep breath, putting them on the table. He leaned into his chair and closed his eyes. They had been talking to the Uchiha elders these past few days, making sure that they explained everything that Madara was about to do—in simple, plain, _unbiased_ terms—and the implications of his actions, both good and bad. If it didn't have any consequences they probably would have taken the high road and spoke only of the disadvantages, but Sasuke knew that the elders were sharper than that. They only _seemed_ like they didn't understand shit.

He would know; he'd spent _all_ his life trying to impress them, after all.

"Tired?"

Sasuke opened his eyes but didn't move. "I feel like shit."

Naruto gave a low, throaty chuckle. "You've been working your ass off for days, Sasuke. It's only natural. Why don't you take a break?"

Sasuke snorted. Take a break, like that was the most sensible thing to do when his company was in the middle of a crisis and when they were having a very important meeting in less than an hour. Yeah right. What kind of a person he would be if he just left?

"So I received a text from Sakura demanding that you take a break," Naruto continued, and there was a teasing tone in his voice, "_Demanding_, I tell you. What's going on between you two these days?"

"Not much," was Sasuke's blunt reply.

And it was true. These days, they weren't doing much. It wasn't like they _could_. He was busy as hell and the last conversation he had with her was only two minutes long, for she had to "tie this thing to that thing" or other, and even that was three, four days ago. Their conversations weren't making a lot of sense these days.

"Really." Naruto was skeptical.

"Really," Sasuke replied, too tired to argue as he closed his eyes again.

Much to his surprise, the blond didn't push it. He took his seat across Sasuke and started humming to himself.

Sasuke stared lazily at his best friend. "She texted you?"

"Just earlier today." Naruto shrugged.

She texted Naruto. She texted Naruto and she didn't text _him_. What was up with _that_? Without realizing it, Sasuke furrowed his brows as he straightened up on his chair.

"Why?" Naruto asked, and there was a cheeky edge to his voice, "Jealous?"

"In your dreams." Sasuke glared at his blond friend. Of _course _he wasn't jealous! He was just confused. Why text Naruto to tell _him_ to take a break when she could just text him and tell him herself? _Che. Women_. How very confusing. He didn't even know that Sakura and Naruto were on a texting basis. He had always assumed they never really talked anymore. "Do you text each other often?"

His attempt to be as vague and subtle as he could failed miserably, as Naruto snorted and tossed him a glance that was both teasing and knowing, not saying anything as he continued looking at Sasuke.

"What?"

"Not very often," Naruto responded after a beat of silence, "Just, well. When certain things happen to certain people, I suppose."

Well, now _that_ was vague. Since when was Naruto better at covering up truths than he was?

Before he could answer his own question or ask another, however, the blond added, "Don't worry."

"I'm not worried," Sasuke said defensively.

"That's right." Naruto nodded innocently. "There's no need to be."

"I said I'm _not_."

"And _I_ said there's no need to be," Naruto countered smoothly, a grin spreading on his face. He reached out to pat Sasuke's shoulder as he stood up. "There, there, Sasuke. You ought to take a break. Why is such a simple matter enough to get you all worked up?"

"I am not—"

His table phone rang loudly, and Naruto moved over to pick it up. He spoke for a couple of seconds and then hung up. When he turned to face Sasuke, any hint of mirth or light-heartedness was gone from his face. "He's here."

"Call Itachi." Sasuke glanced at the wall clock. "Huh. He's pretty early."

Naruto nodded and pressed the buzzer, speaking to Sasuke's secretary, Setsuna, quickly. Meanwhile, Sasuke stood up and stacked his files neatly on the corner of the table, slipping all the important ones into a folder.

"Itachi said he'll meet us downstairs," Naruto informed him, "Shall we go now?"

"Yes," Sasuke nodded. He slipped one last file into the folder and turned around to Naruto. The smirk on his face was almost sanguine as he said, "It's show time."

xx

There were three things that Uchiha Madara disliked the most in this world: jelly beans, people who were smarter than him, and waiting.

Now, to him this was all very reasonable. For one, jellybeans had a weird shape and taste, and their colours—oh god, their _colours_—made his eyes burn. Next, he also hated people who were smarter than him—this was pretty self-explanatory, he supposed. Not that there were many people who were smarter than him and _knew_ it to use it to their advantage. Most people were smart; they just never thought they were so they never bothered to use their brain. What he hated even more than that, however, was _waiting_.

And lo and behold, his most prospective business partner had managed to be two out of the three things he despised the most in this world.

If things between them weren't going so smoothly, Madara would have dropped him already, much like he dropped his previous lovers, or his family, or his workers, or everyone else really.

Not that it was that easy, because Miyazawa Akihito wasn't like everyone else. There was just something about him that made things work a certain way. And he seemed to know it, too—something that aggravated Madara to no end.

He was _ten_ minutes late to their agreed meeting time. Madara had advised that they meet fifteen minutes before the meeting to discuss certain terms and conditions, but clearly, his business partner took no heed of that. _Ten_ minutes late. So he was the director of one of the biggest, most well known companies in Japan, but did he have no sense of time?

"Madara-san?" His secretary knocked on his door and opened the door. "Miyazawa-san is already in the meeting room, along with Sasuke-san and Itachi-san. Most of the others are there, too."

"Alright." Madara waved a dismissive hand. "I'll be there soon."

Wiping imaginary dust off his slick, black suit, he headed out of his office and straight to the direction of the meeting room.

xx

So _this_ was Miyazawa Akihito, the man who ruled the Miyazawa Corporations with an iron fist.

This was the man Madara had been sucking up to—the man who was the biggest potential buyer of the Uchiha company.

Strangely, he didn't look as old or as mean as they made him look in the media. Not that it would make any difference, as the Uchiha company wasn't going _anywhere_, not even to the most talented businessman to grace the earth in decades.

Akihito's expression was relaxed, in contrast to his secretary's, who was standing behind him rigidly, looking like a bundle of nerves.

"Good evening," the secretary said when he saw Sasuke, stiffening.

"Good evening," Sasuke returned, just as politely, and offered his hand, "Uchiha Sasuke. This is Uzumaki Naruto."

At his declaration, Miyazawa Akihito turned his full attention to him. "Good evening," he said, a tiny smile curving his lips as he took Sasuke's hand, and then Naruto's. "So you're the CEO."

"Yes," Sasuke replied, a little uneasy at his bluntness.

To his surprise, the smirk on Akihito's face widened just a little bit. "We'll see how you fare."

Unsure of how to take his words, Sasuke just raised his hand to the direction of the meeting room. "This way."

When they entered, several Uchiha elders were already sitting round the large table. Naruto took his seat and Sasuke sat down on the far end of the table. Itachi settled beside him. Small talk was exchanged until finally, Madara entered the room.

A sinister smile spread on his lips when he caught Sasuke's eyes, and Sasuke tensed on his chair. Itachi, noticing it, kicked his feet under the table, and the younger Uchiha immediately relaxed. It was taboo to show any kind of emotion when it came to dealing with their number one enemy, after all.

Sasuke looked around the room, taking note of those who came, and then cleared his throat, impassive eyes sweeping the faces of all twenty, thirty people.

"Let us begin."

.

.

.

**tbc.**

* * *

**a/n:** Thanks for reading!


	20. xx

**a/n:** Hi there, lovely people!

* * *

**twenty.**

.

.

.

She'd like to call it an upgrade.

Seriously.

Half-fascinated, half-appraising, Sakura examined her surroundings, her gaze taking in the work desk, the empty flower vase, and the metallic book end on top of the desk and… what was that? She leaned forward to get a good look at the curious object sitting at the corner of her desk. Oh. A paper shredder. A _manual_ paper shredder. Great, now not only she got to dispose of her unused papers, she also got to exercise her arm. She did some quick calculations in her head: that would probably take about five minutes out of going to gym every day, although to be honest, these days she didn't have time to.

Still, the optimistic voice inside her head decided, this _was_ an upgrade. Instead of a minuscule cubicle by the window with absolutely no privacy, she got her own room. Now she got to work—or doze off—in peace without anyone tossing her weird looks. She could _so_ do without that, especially that. She had been working for about ten days and still, _still_ she didn't have anyone to talk to, except the cafeteria lady who was always nice enough to give her extra serving every time she ate there. She tried making friends, but soon she realised it was futile. They saw the special treatment she received from the 'higher-ups', and thinking that Sakura was just an ordinary employee, it was just another reason to avoid her.

She sighed and sat down on her seat. She got a spinning chair, too. She might not have friends, but at least her work life was a little bit better. She _had_ been busy as always, of course, with extra lessons with Ougi and dress fitting and whatnot, but apparently whatever work she contributed was enough to gain her a promotion in the Miyazawas.

Or it was, well, the fact that she _was_ a Miyazawa. By blood. Sort of.

Sakura gazed longingly at her phone. The most human contact she had nowadays was with Ougi, who, to her credit, was _really_ nice, but she missed everyone else. She missed Tenten. She missed her parents. She also missed Sasuke. They hadn't spoken in several days, and judging from his silence, he should be very busy, too.

Seized by a sudden urge to talk to him or simply hear his voice, she fished out her phone from her bag and punched in Sasuke's number.

"Sakura?" Sasuke's voice was gruff and exhausted when he picked up on the third ring. "Hey."

"Hey, you," she said, sounding _way_ more breathless than she expected herself to. "What are you doing? Are you busy?"

There was the most curious sound of shuffling of papers, and then Sasuke cleared his throat again. "I can talk. How are you?"

"I'm fine," she said, fingers fiddling with the handle of the paper shredder, nervous all of a sudden. "I just got a promotion."

"After only ten days?" He sounded amused. "I assume you've been doing your best, then."

"Something like that," she mumbled half-heartedly, "How about _you_? Are you sure you're not busy? Because I can… because we can talk later, or tomorrow, or whenever. I don't really have a purpose of calling you, or anything, or…" she trailed off when she realised she was rambling, "I mean…"

"That's fine," he retorted, and she could just imagine him leaning on his chair, head thrown back, hair tousled and eyes closed, looking very tired, his phone slipped between his shoulder and his cheek. His voice had softened when he spoke again. "I was just thinking about calling you."

She felt delight fluttering in her chest. "Really?"

"Yes," was his reply, matter-of-fact and flat. "Do you have time to come out for lunch?"

She lifted her eyes to the clock on the table. "I suppose."

"Okay."

Deciding to wait, Sakura played with the file on her dress, smoothing out the paper one by one. Her finger swept over the edge of the paper much too quickly and she let out a soft "Ow!" as a thin, long cut formed across the palm of her hand, blood oozing out of its corners.

Sasuke was alert at once. "Sakura? What was that?"

"Paper cut," she muttered grudgingly, tucking her phone between her shoulder and pressing it down with her cheek as she pulled out a sheet of tissue and wrapped it around her finger, the red of the blood seeping through the thin material. "I'm fine."

There was a sharp outtake of breath. "You're so _clumsy_."

"Well, you're not—"

"I'm glad you're fine," he interrupted before she could continue, knowing that they would launch into an argument if she did. "Anyway, do you want to have lunch?"

"Right now?" she lifted her bag to her desk and started fishing inside. She _knew_ she kept a band-aid in there, somewhere…

"Of course, Sakura."

She didn't know if it was the way he said her name—friendlier than most people here, and she wasn't even exaggerating—or if it was the thought of seeing him, but she couldn't help the glee rising in her stomach, and it surfaced in her voice although she tried to keep it controlled, "Sure! Where shall we meet?"

"Anything in particular you want to eat?"

"Well," she tapped on her chin thoughtfully, "I'm glad you asked. There's this Korean restaurant downtown and it has good reviews. You feel like coming down?"

"I have time."

"Good," she said, "See you in fifteen, then?"

"Sure."

"Sure," she echoed, hating the way he sounded—so flat, so dry, so _tired. _He needed to lighten up. _She_ needed him to lighten up. So attempting to joke, her voice adopted a teasing tone as she added, "Oh, and Sasuke? I'm expecting flowers!"

"Flowers?" Sasuke sounded puzzled. "What for?"

"Flowers," she affirmed, her voice soft, "You haven't congratulated me on my new job, and already I'm getting promoted."

"_Fine_," he said, trying to sound exasperated and failing miserably.

"Thanks." Another image of him surfaced in her mind, this time of him smirking as if she had said something funny. She decided she liked it. "I'll see you soon, then."

Her attempt to get him to lighten up over the phone might have not been so successful, but at least it distracted him from his thoughts, even for a little while. She had the whole lunch to try to get something out of him, anyway, and she was sure to make good use of that.

Besides, she also had flowers to look forward to. Oh, _yes_.

Feeling a lot happier than she had been in quite a while, she slung her handbag over her shoulder and headed for the door, humming to herself.

xx

Sasuke leaned on his car, his arms crossed over his chest as his gaze swept over the parking area, looking for a certain pink-haired woman. He had expected to be a little bit late, but apparently she was later than he was.

Looking for the _right_ flowers, as it turned out, took longer than he originally thought. He had no idea that there were so many different kinds of flower and so many different meanings to each one of them. Before his very mind-blowing, thought-provoking trip to the flower shop today, he had assumed that flowers were just, well, flowers. Just pick out the prettiest one out of the bunch, order a bouquet, and he'd be set. But apparently not. Even the number of flowers in a bouquet conveyed _something. _Twelve roses were the ultimate declaration of love. Fifty roses meant unconditional love. Twenty-two roses was the one he needed, a simple congratulations, a simple "good luck!", which, well, implied love as well. It _was_ the universal meaning of roses.

He had initially wanted to choose something else other than roses, but the staff had insisted—_three times_—that he simply _ought_ to give roses to his "obviously very special lady friend", that she even offered Sasuke a discount. He had relented without thinking very much about it—the staff was annoying and she needed to _shut up_ because she was grating on his nerves—but now, standing here waiting, he wondered if he should have given her something else instead. Roses were kind of romantic, and while their relationship had definitely taken up that nature, he wasn't sure if they were ready to _really_ address it.

There was no time to rethink his abrupt decision, however, because the next thing he knew, Sakura came rushing into his view, stopping her small jog only when she was in front of her.

He raised an eyebrow. "In a hurry?"

"Sorry!" She put her hands together in an attempt to apologise. "It's a lot farther than I expected it to be."

"You walked?"

"Yeah." She smiled, wiping sweat off her brow delicately. "My office is not that far. Well, at least I _thought_ so." The last part she had added almost as an afterthought. She peered at him, and put her hands on her hips expectantly.

Deciding to play a game with her, he shoved his hands into his pocket and raised his eyebrows. "What?"

"I can't believe you needed me to _ask_," she muttered, looking scandalised, "But fine. I will humour you. Uchiha Sasuke, where are my flowers?"

Before Sasuke could reply, however, a man stepped closer to them—too close to be occasionally passing by, so he must have been there for something else—and they both turned to look at him.

"Good afternoon."

_Miyazawa Akihito. _

Sasuke felt his insides clench in a very unpleasant way. Their last meeting had been the first of many supposedly to come, but to tell the truth it wasn't looking good for them. Madara had been surprisingly charming _and_ smart, and with Akihito at his side they were nothing short of indestructible. Which was why he was pretty much working his ass off to do anything he could, along with Itachi and Naruto, spending virtually twenty hours in the office every day. Even then things were still not looking so good. They might need a miracle.

Still. What was _he_ doing here? And he wasn't even looking at Sasuke—he was looking at _Sakura._

"Going out for lunch, Sakura?" The businessman's eyes gleamed with something neither could identify, before they moved and rested on Sasuke. "Uchiha-san."

Manners did not escape him, despite his initial surprise. "Miyazawa-san."

"It's… quite unexpected to meet you," Akihito said pleasantly, "I did not know you know my granddaughter."

Sasuke quirked his eyebrows. "… Your granddaughter?"

Sakura winced at his expression and swallowed. She was speechless but also a little peeved, and she had good reason, too. On one hand, she had not yet _agreed_ to that. On the other hand, it was sort of true. She only wished she had told Sasuke that sooner, because she couldn't help but notice that there was something weird about the way he reacted.

"Yes, my granddaughter," he gestured to her, "I was not aware that you were friends with Uchiha-san, Sakura."

"I…" Sakura wanted to glare, really she did, but she didn't know what or _who_ to glare at, so she swallowed nervously. She didn't know what to be more surprised of; the way her self-proclaimed grandfather appeared out of nowhere, or the fact that he knew Sasuke and was willingly _sharing_ their little 'secret' with him. She wanted to tell Sasuke, really, and this was _not_ the way she wanted him to find out. Her heart lurched and her stomach dropped when she saw his expression. "Um…"

Clearly noticing the unpleasant atmosphere, Akihito gave them both a nod and disappeared into the restaurant, leaving the two in the parking lot.

Sakura hesitated, reaching out a hand to touch Sasuke's arm. "Sasuke?"

He turned to Sakura, not bothering to how shell-shocked he was. "Is it true?"

"Well…" She looked at her hands, suddenly finding her French-manicured nails very, very interesting. "Yes. I suppose."

"You're Miyazawa Akihito's granddaughter?" he demanded, "You're a _Miyazawa_?"

"By blood, yes." Sakura looked confused, still not understanding why he had reacted so strongly to that. She knew she did not look like a Miyazawa, but that was because she hadn't been brought up as one, really… although either way it should not have been enough reason for him to behave so fiercely. "But I'm not—"

"And just when are you going to tell me this?" he snapped.

She blanched at his tone, surprised by the bitterness in his voice that she automatically looked up. It was a mistake, because as soon as she caught his gaze, blood drained from her face. Sasuke was not glaring at her. Instead, his eyes were narrowed piercingly, sharply, at her, the rest of his face eerily void of expression. It wasn't only that, either. His fists were clenched at his sides, his whole body shook, and while she couldn't _see_ it, she could almost _feel_ the tension rolling off of him in furious waves, angry and almost _malicious_. Her eyes widened and she shivered. His whole being was a paradox; his gaze was hot and yet she felt so utterly very cold.

"I… I don't know how it's…" Sakura faltered, looking totally confused. "I mean, I _was_ going to tell you, I swear. As soon as possible. You never asked—"

"Ah, and that's to your convenience, isn't it?" he interrupted her, his voice so frosty that she felt ice shards forming in the pit of her stomach. "So you don't have to lie to me?"

Green eyes stared, uncomprehending, even as she insisted, "I wouldn't have lied if you have asked."

Sasuke looked at her, his gaze charcoal black, hot on her face. He sauntered over closer to her with threat in his eyes, leaning forward dangerously until he could feel her breath on his neck. She was pale, ashen, even as she fought to keep her eyes on his face.

He knew that move.

It was the move everybody pulled when they wanted to prove they did nothing wrong, when they wanted to hide the fact that there _was_ something wrong. For _Sakura _to pull this move on him… her words flashed in the back of his head—

_I'll do anything for my family. Anything. Even if it means I have to do something unthinkable, or unforgivable—anything_.

Anything.

Anything.

_Anything_.

—and then he understood.

Of course. _Of course_. He had been so stupid—so _fucking_ stupid.

Did he honestly believe that someone like Sakura would drop into his life just like that, like an unexpected present from the gods—one he did _not_ deserve—and have no ulterior motive whatsoever? Of course not. He did _not_ deserve nice things in his life, for he was Uchiha Sasuke and Uchiha Sasuke did not deserve _anything at all_. Of course this woman—the woman he actually felt _something _for, something that could have been _love_—well, she clearly did not want him for anything other than—other than… oh, god_._

_Oh, god._

How could he have been so _fucking_ blind? How could he have believed, even for a second, that she _did_ care about him, Sasuke—not Uchiha Sasuke, not the CEO of the Uchiha's company—but just him, _Sasuke_?

Sakura was so nice to him, from the very start. _Too nice_. She had trusted him like no one else did before. _Too trusting_. Of course she had wanted something else from him.

Of course.

She was a _spy_, a goddamn spy sent from the Miyazawas so they could easily win the Uchiha's company from his hands, and… oh, God. It was such a carefully crafted plan, and so clever he did not see it coming. Now, though, he could—clear as day. It would be so simple, so easy. She'd be around him long enough that he'd trust her, and he'd tell her _everything_, including his plans with the company—and he had, oh God, oh God—and she'd simply relay that to her grandfather, who'd tell Madara, and they would always be one step ahead of him.

So simple. So easy.

And he had fallen into their trap, _just_ like that.

He almost gave her everything—he had _wanted_ to, anyway, and didn't that count as something?—and it was all for _fucking nothing. _

But now Sasuke understood, and it was like a ton of bricks had been dumped on his head.

"Oh," he said, drawing away, "Oh, I _see_."

"… Sasuke?" Sakura stared at him anxiously.

"I see," he repeated, taking a step away from her, "I see what you're pulling on me."

"I'm not pulling anything," she frowned, darting him a desperate look, more perplexed than ever, "I don't understand… Sasuke?"

He was staring at her, wondering how many lies she had fed him with those lips, wondering how many lies he had eaten from her hand like an obedient _fucking _puppy, just like that.

"Don't," he said, his voice forbidding, dour, as he glowered at her in an almost threatening manner. "Don't you _dare_ say my name or I swear to God I will _break_ you, Haruno Sakura."

Sakura shivered at his words, feeling the sting more from his eyes than anything else. The way he was looking at her… it drained her, terrified her, _paralysed_ her.

"I should have known that you've planned this all along."

"Planned what?" she couldn't help the desperation in her voice, "_What_ did I plan?"

"I should have known," Sasuke continued, ignoring her question, "that it was a bad idea trusting you."

She winced, and he felt some kind of odd, morbid satisfaction from seeing her _hurt_ like he was hurting himself. She reached for his hand but he jerked away from her touch as if she was hot coal, instead looking at her with disgust in his eyes. Did she think it was over? Oh, no. It was far from that. It was _thousand yards_ away from that.

He was only beginning.

"You win, Sakura," he said, taking another step back, away from her. "You win. Soon the Uchiha's company is going into _your_ hands. What did your grandfather bribe you with, huh?"

"I don't… what in heavens' name are you talking about?"

"I thought you were different," he said, "I guess I was wrong."

She didn't know if it was the way he looked at her—his eyes, lacking of warmth and filled with so much disgust she had never seen before—or the way he jerked away from her touch like she was vile, or his words, but… but _goodness, that hurt_.

"You've been using me all along, haven't you? You've purposely befriended me, from the very start, purposely tried to get on my good side. Purposely made me _trust_ you," Sasuke spat, as if 'trust' was a disgusting word to say, "And when I let my guard down… you'll attack. All for the Miyazawas." His gaze was livid. "All this time, you pretended to care. Very clever, Sakura. Unexpected. For you to stoop this low… what did they bribe you with, huh?"

His words registered in her head, and she desperately shook her head, "They didn't—!"

"Shut the fuck up!" Sasuke snarled, his words as sharp as a knife, as cold as a glacier as his eyes glazed. "Fuck this. Fuck all of this. _Fuck it._"

Her eyes widened and she staggered backwards, completely taken by surprise at his words, but he was too angry to notice. Or care, for that matter.

Sasuke opened his car door and grabbed the bouquet of flowers—roses, all red, all twenty-two of them—and then tossed it to her feet. The ribbons holding them together undid themselves with the jolt and the roses scattered around her shoes. She gasped, surprised, quickly kneeling down to pick them up, holding them close together as much as she could—and then stood up, gathering the roses in her arms. Her eyes darted to his form as he climbed into the car.

"Sasuke, _wait_—"

He had _looked_ at her, then, and there was something else other than anger in his eyes that she couldn't decipher. Sadness? Regret? Agony? She didn't have the chance to reflect on it as his expression suddenly changed, once again devoid of any emotion even as he said, "Goodbye, Sakura."

_Oh no_, her head started in panic and she opened her mouth although her voice did not come out, _oh no, oh no, oh no, no, oh _no_—_

He slammed the door, the engine roared to life, and suddenly she was alone.

Pressing the flowers to her chest, Sakura stared at the empty space where Sasuke's car had been a few seconds ago, not comprehending, yet feeling as if she might break down and _really _cry, right then and there. Fifteen minutes; that was all it took to destroy whatever relationship she had with him—and the worst part was that she did not _understand_ where it all had gone so _wrong._

He did not trust her. He did not trust her. _He did not trust her_.

She didn't know what had hurt more, the words he had thrown to her face or the realisation that he _did not trust her_. She wanted to cry, she wanted to punch someone; hell, she wanted to _kill_ someone…

Her nose caught a whiff of the faint, sweet smell of roses, and her gaze dropped to the scarlet bunch. This was all she had left of him. There was a little white note tied to one of the stem. Untying it free, she unfolded the paper. Sasuke's smooth, slick handwriting stared back at her:

_Sakura. I believe in you. _

There was no name, no signature, nothing else on it, but it was so _Sasuke_—the way he curved his 's's, the way he dotted his 'i's—that the five words were enough to form the lump in her throat, sending her senses into an overdrive as she choked.

Feeling completely, utterly helpless for the first time in her life, hot tears spilled and rolled down her cheeks, and Sakura wept.

.

.

.

**tbc.**

* * *

**a/n:** As always, thank you for reading, and especially thank you for all the lovely, lovely support, everyone! ;)


	21. xxi

**a/n:** Thanks for the reviews, and hopefully your weekend is going great so far, lovely people!

* * *

**twenty-one.**

.

.

.

Tenten stood on the doorway and surveyed her living room.

Comfortable pillows, check. Two boxes of Kleenex, check. Strawberry cheesecake ice cream, check. In the middle of it all, sitting on the couch with her eyes glued to the TV screen, was Sakura, folding her knees to her chest and looking very, very miserable indeed.

"Sakura…" Tenten made her way to the couch, dropping her bag carelessly on the floor and extending her arms to hug her housemate, her eyebrows creasing in worry. "Oh, Sakura, dear god, what happened?"

Sakura made no move to pull away. Instead, she buried her head on Tenten's shoulder, sniffing soundly in the most undignified manner. After the cursed lunch with Sasuke, she had returned to the office and managed to work her ass off for the rest of the day. By the time dinner came, though, she was already too exhausted to start her lesson with Ougi, and much to her surprise and gratitude, the latter dismissed her. Apparently there was no use trying to learn when she had her mind of other things—which was pretty much the understatement of the year, really. She had spent _every_ waking moment thinking about what happened today, being unable to take her mind off it even for a second. As soon as she got home, Sakura set up a comfort camp on the living room, planning to spend the rest of the night watching _Friends_ reruns and moping alone. It had been three hours since she started on _Friends_, and she had calmed down.

The worst had passed by, at least.

"The better question is _who_ happened," Sakura mumbled into Tenten's arms, "God, Tenten, it was so terrible. He didn't believe me at all!"

"What happened?" Tenten frowned, "Who didn't believe you?"

"_Sasuke_ happened," Sakura drew away, trying to stop her nose from running. She grabbed a sheet of Kleenex and blew into it, tossing it with maximum accuracy into the rubbish bin she had conveniently placed close to her feet when she realized her crying episode was about to start. She looked at Tenten and began telling her housemate about what happened today, going into as much detail as she could.

Tenten's expressions had changed from startled, to confused, to surprised, and then, when Sakura had finished, completely enraged. "What the fuck?" she glared at their coffee table, "What the _fuck_? He didn't believe you? How could he have been so _stupid_?"

Sakura gave a weak smile. "I think he was just being… yeah."

"Being what? Being what, exactly, Sakura?"

"Cautious. His company is threatened, after all, and I think he's just… really stressed at the moment."

"Well that's no excuse!" Tenten exclaimed, looking very incensed, and when Sakura opened her mouth, she held up a finger, "No. Don't you _dare_ defend him, Sakura. You and I both know—yes, _you _know—that what he did was wrong. He was rude, he was cruel, and he _doubted_ you while you have _never_ shown any kind of betrayal towards him! He's just—he's just—oh, God, I just want to skewer him alive right now!"

"Tenten—"

"Okay, so even _if_ he had the right to be cautious, that does not excuse how terrible he behaved, how awful he had treated you—"

"Tenten—"

"And why," the romance novelist glared at Sakura, "And _why, _pray tell, are you so calm about this? You should be angry! You should be mad! You have every right to! Are you not angry at all?"

"I am," Sakura said, and when Tenten looked unconvinced, repeated, "I _am_, honestly. But I'm just so _tired_."

"Tired of what?"

"I don't know." She shot her housemate a rueful look. "Everything?"

Tenten bit her lip and hugged Sakura once more.

"It's like… I don't know. I don't know how I feel. I don't know how I'm _supposed_ to feel, really. I've always thought… I've always thought that he trusts me enough, you know… I've always thought that it doesn't matter what family I come from," she muttered, massaging her temple slowly as she leaned back, tipping her head up to look at the ceiling. "But apparently it does. So much. _Fucking_ coincidence."

"Sakura…" Tenten sighed. It was a little unlike Sakura to swear. "I really don't want to contradict you or anything, but… but honestly, love, he misunderstood you and he never cared to hear your side of the story."

"But that's Sasuke, you see," Sakura smiled wanly, "That's so him. He's abrupt."

And she was right. Sasuke _was_ abrupt. Their very first meeting had been evidence enough; he thought she was a gold digger. Even after they had made that deal he'd still keep some distance from her all the while telling her the truth and whatnot.

Until, well… until _that_ night.

Sakura groaned. "Oh, goodness, I can't believe we slept together."

"What did you just say?" Tenten's eyes widened when Sakura didn't reply, "Oh, god. How? When? Where? Wait, wait, don't answer that, I don't _want_ to know the details—I just… what?"

"About two or three weeks ago," Sakura whimpered, trying to push certain images away from her unfaithful brain.

Oh god. Oh god. _Oh god_.

"Two or three weeks ago," she muttered, "And now we're not even talking." All of a sudden, Sakura wasn't sure if she wanted to laugh hysterically or weep like a miserable wreck. Maybe even both. "Ironic."

Tenten looked at her scornfully. "You'd think that someone like him would have been a little more level-headed."

She sighed, wanting to deny it but knowing that she had every reason _not_ to. "I suppose. Although it's… it's not his fault, really. It's mine."

"Why?"

"Because… I should have told him as soon as possible. As soon as I could." She bit her lip. "It's our deal. It was our deal. To be honest with each other." Before Tenten could respond, she groaned. "Oh, God, if only I've told him that I'm a Miyazawa from the very start—"

"What would have happened if you've told him?" Tenten interrupted. "Could it make anything better? At the time you found out, has _he_ found out about his own company and what's at stake? Let's look at this carefully. You have to admit that he's so quick to jump to conclusions. _Too _quick, in fact," she bit out fiercely, "especially when he did not tell you that the Miyazawa's is going to buy the Uchiha's. Did he tell you, Sakura?"

"I don't… no. He never did."

"So he's never been _completely_ honest with you, too, has he?"

"Well…" Sakura looked bewildered at the realization. She had never quite thought of it that way. She bit her lip and admitted, "No, I suppose not."

"And this means that it's _also_ his fault, doesn't this?" Tenten continued.

"I… really?"

"Of course!" Tenten shook her head disbelievingly. "Of _course_ it's also his fault, Sakura. You'd have told him if he told you that the Miyazawa's is the one who's gonna buy his company. And don't try to protest!" she raised her finger firmly, her eyes fierce, "I know you, Sakura, I _know_ what you're like. You wouldn't have been able to stay quiet!"

"It _does_ look like too much of a coincidence, though…" Sakura trailed off helplessly.

Tenten crossed her arms across her chest and demanded, "Well, would he have told you if you tell him first you're a Miyazawa?"

"I don't know. Maybe?" She shrugged. "He's pretty honest about everything else. I think. Except," her gaze darkened, "Except he might have wanted to keep it to himself."

"Ah, and why would he?"

"He doesn't want me to get worried. Didn't. Doesn't. _Didn't_."

Tenten ignored the hesitation at the end of the phrase. "And why didn't you tell him earlier?"

"Because I don't want him to get worried…" Sakura trailed off, starting to see light in their question and answer session. "Oh…"

"Yes," Tenten agreed, "_Oh_, indeed. This is just really a big fat misunderstanding. An extreme example of one, really."

"One that cannot be solved easily." Sakura's voice was glum.

"No," Tenten concurred, "Perhaps not. But you have to admit that it's not only his fault, nor is it only _your_ fault. It takes two for a relationship to work, Sakura, and in the same fashion it also takes two to create a misunderstanding. Okay?"

"Okay," Sakura replied, and then looked at Tenten in admiration, "Wow, Tenten. What would I do without you?"

"You would mope for days, completely forgetting that this should be looked at objectively. You would also gain weight from eating too much junk food and ice-cream," she gestured at their coffee table, which was quite correctly covered with seven different flavours of chips and two buckets of strawberry cheesecake ice-cream, her voice flat, "and you would never, never, _never_ stop blaming yourself," she smiled triumphantly here, "but as it is, I _am_ here."

"Yes, and thank god your logic saves us all."

Tenten beamed. "Hey, I'm not a writer for nothing."

"Of course." Sakura smiled now, and while it wasn't very cheerful it wasn't as gloomy as before. "And you're a damned good one, at that."

"Thanks!"

"No, thank _you_."

Silence fell upon the two women now, both of them lost in their thoughts. Tenten watched Sakura, studying her face slowly, her eyebrows creased as if something really, really bothered her.

And in sudden inspiration, she asked, "You're in love with him, aren't you?"

"What!" Sakura spluttered so violently that she almost fell from the couch, knocking over the Kleenex box onto the floor. "_What_! Just—just _what _do you mean by that!"

"Exactly what I said: you're in love with him, aren't you?"

"I don't see how you got there—"

"Well, _I_ do, and _I_'m the romance novelist here." Her eyes twinkled. "You go on dates, you spend an awful lot of time together be it on the phone or face to face, you _slept_ with him willingly and didn't regret it… Anyone else would have arrived at the same conclusion, I do believe."

"I don't—" Sakura wanted to choke.

"And," Tenten's voice was almost gleeful, "_And_ he's in love with you too, isn't he?"

This time, Sakura _really_ choked at the mischief in her housemate's warm brown eyes, "Just—where did you get that from?"

"It's common sense, love, just common sense," Tenten smiled, patting Sakura's arm cheerfully, "He's too blinded to realize that there are loopholes in his hypothesis—" Sakura snorted at her choice of language, but Tenten continued anyway, "—and you, you're too blinded to realize that you need to look at this neutrally."

"Blinded by what? Rage?"

"That, too."

"'_Too_'?" Sakura demanded.

"Among other things." Tenten shrugged. "Do you know what you have to do?"

"No."

"Do you know what you _want_ to do?"

"No."

"Well, then. Will you do as I say?"

Sakura looked at her dubiously. "… Maybe?"

"Alright. I say you clean up this mess now—I'll help, don't give me that look," Tenten chuckled, "and then you take a warm bubble bath, wear your comfiest pajamas, and come out here. I'll cook you a proper dinner."

"Really?"

"Really." Tenten's eyes softened. "Stir-fry good?"

"The _best_." Sakura nodded, looking very pleased. Without warning she tackled her best friend into a tight hug, "Thanks for making me feel a lot better. I owe you _so much_ for this, I swear."

"You're welcome," Tenten grinned, returning the hug just as tightly, "And God, Sakura, you _stink_. Double that shampoo, won't you?"

xx

"You look like shit."

"Thanks."

"I mean it, Sasuke. You look like _shit_. Like, shittier than shit. Like the shittiest shit—"

"I said _thanks_."

Naruto crossed his arms across his chest and raised an eyebrow, stepping closer into the garage of the Uchiha mansion. "Well, _someone_'s in a good mood today."

"Oh, just fuck off, why don't you?" Sasuke snapped irritably, clearly in no mood to play around. "Leave me alone."

The eyebrow rose higher and Naruto leaned down to look at the closest front tire of Sasuke's black Lexus. The tread was balding miserably—a sign of extreme speeding for a long period a time. He let out a low, throaty chuckle as he straightened up and looked at his best friend attentively. "What happened, Sasuke?"

"Nothing."

"Don't you nothing me. That was a seven-hour lunch you went to. And judging from the look on your face right now…" Naruto paused, "I don't think it was a good one. Did you even get to see Sakura-chan, Sasuke?"

Sasuke glared, refusing to answer.

Naruto sighed, "Why don't you tell me what happened?"

"The better question is why _should_ I tell you anything at all."

"Now, now, don't be so cruel. You know you need me."

"I must have made an error in judgment when I chose you to be my right-hand man," Sasuke sighed, and then muttered darkly, his voice low but audible enough that the man beside him heard it, "Seems like I've made a _lot_ of errors in judgment these days."

Naruto leaned forward. "What are you talking about?"

"Fuck off," Sasuke snarled, kicking the tire Naruto had been examining, "Fuck this shit," he glared heatedly, "Fuck _you_. Why should I tell you anything?"

"Now that's not a very nice thing to say," the blond sighed, knowing better than to take him seriously, and then turned to look at Sasuke grimly. "Look. You don't want to tell me anything, and that's fine, but letting it out will make you feel better, trust me."

"I _am_—" Sasuke kicked the tire again, "letting—" and again, "it—" and again, twice this time, "—_out_."

"You've been speeding."

The Uchiha replied sarcastically, "Oh _really_? I couldn't tell."

"Sasuke—"

"I don't want to talk about it."

"But—"

"_I don't want to talk about it_. God, Naruto, what part of it can't you understand?"

"Fine," Naruto griped in defeat, "_Fine_."

"Fine," Sasuke echoed.

"I'll just call Sakura-chan and ask her, then," the blond fished out for his phone from his pocket and started pressing the buttons, "I'm sure she'll be much more cooperative than you."

Without warning, the raven-haired man reached out and slapped Naruto's hand so hard that he dropped his phone and it whirled under his car. Naruto looked at him in shock, and he glared at his best friend and boss all in one body. "What the fuck?"

"Don't you dare," Sasuke began, his obsidian eyes so dark and stormy, like a deep, bottomless abyss, "Don't you _dare_. I don't want you to call her, I don't want you to meet her, and I don't want you to speak of her anymore. Say her name and you're _dead_, Uzumaki."

As soon as his family name escaped Sasuke's lips, Naruto straightened up, a thousand times more wary than before. Whenever Sasuke called him by that it meant _business_, and he knew better than to argue, especially when he was at this state of mind.

"Alright," agreed the blond, "Alright. But this won't be the end of it."

Sasuke ignored that. "Is Itachi inside?"

"Not yet, but he'll be here soon. We can start the meeting then," Naruto hesitated as the raven-haired man locked his Lexus with a single beep from his key. "One question, Sasuke."

"No."

Wisely ignoring the idiot he called a best friend, the blond asked, "What is Sakura to you?"

At this, Sasuke narrowed his eyes darkly, "Traitor," and then left the garage abruptly, slamming the door behind him.

Naruto stood, and stared.

_Traitor? _

.

.

.

**tbc.**


	22. xxii

**a/n:** Thanks for the reviews, guys, and I hope your weekend has been absolutely wonderful so far!

* * *

**twenty-two.**

.

.

.

To be fair, the dress was gorgeous.

It was a very exquisite piece, dramatic in colour but simple in style. Yards of crimson red hugged her lean frame, flowing from her right shoulder all the way down to the floor. It was made of the most intricate satin, the fabric clinging to her curves just so but not too tight that she felt suffocated. The dress covered only half of her back and she felt a little exposed, but she wasn't about to complain—she couldn't, really. Her lips were now a full, glossy pink colour, her eye shadow sprinkles of gold dust with the slightest tinge of red. The simple diamond studs she usually donned were traded for a pair of golden earrings with flowers hanging three inches below her ear, tickling her neck every time she angled her head.

Ougi had come in for the occasion to make sure she looked really, really good, and while that was nice and all, good was the last thing she felt tonight.

Good was the last thing she had felt all week, actually.

It had been eight days since she last saw Sasuke. It had been four days since Tenten finally had had _enough_ and told her that she had to stop moping. It had been two days since Karin made a surprise visit to her office—and saw her make good use of her manual paper shredder—and told her, very clearly, that she had to attend the monthly Miyazawa dinner.

"What?" Sakura'd choked, her eyes bulging, "But I'm not a Miyazawa!"

"Ojii-san says that you are to come, and you shall come. You can wear one of the dresses Kurenai-san designed for you, preferably an evening gown since it is a formal affair. Oh, and we've invited your parents, by the way."

"My _parents_?" This had shocked Sakura more than anything else, and her words escaped her before she could stop herself. "Is he _nuts_?"

Karin was undeterred. "I'd rather not answer that."

Unfortunately, or perhaps fortunately, her father had declined the invitation with an excuse of having to work late this particular Saturday, and her mother simply refused to attend without her husband. Sakura believed them, really—her father _did_ have a pretty busy schedule, after all—and according to Karin, _she_ must attend.

So here she was.

"The dress looks nice on you."

Sakura tore her gaze away from the mirror to Sai, who was leaning on the doorframe with a very nonchalant expression on his face. She smiled at him offhandedly and turned her head. "You think?"

"Are you ready?"

"To be presented like an object by Miyazawa Akihito?" she asked back, "Yes, I have no choice. To be put under scrutiny and criticism of the rest of the Miyazawas… not really."

The thought made her sick in the stomach, but she pushed it away. This was something she needed to do.

Sai was wearing a slick navy blue suit that made him look very sophisticated, very _proper, _and, dare she say it, handsome. He was also her date for the evening, more out of obligation rather than willingness. She hadn't had any say in the matter, but it wasn't like she had anyone else to take, too.

She had tried approaching Sasuke for the last few days—by phone because she had no other choice—but it was to no avail. She even contacted Naruto, but the blond had been very distracted and apologetic when he told her that he was sorry, he couldn't really talk to her anymore because of several reasons, and oh, perhaps Sasuke needed time…

Time.

Being honest, Sakura also needed time herself. She hadn't yet completely known what she would say _if_ Sasuke had agreed to talk to her—hadn't figured it out completely, but she thought she would try. Thinking back, perhaps it was a good thing Sasuke was avoiding her like a plague. They both needed time.

"Relax."

Breaking out of her reverie, Sakura tossed a lopsided smile at Sai. "I'm fine."

Sai looked at her reflection in the mirror as he approached her, his dark, dark eyes glued to her emerald ones. "Your mother called me."

"Really?"

"You turned off your phone." It wasn't a question.

"No, it ran out of batteries," she lied easily, shrugging. "What? Phones do that all the time."

"I'm sure."

Sakura nodded back at him. She simply did not want anyone changing her mind, and speaking to her mother would probably unravel the deal. With Sasuke being like this, all she wanted was to run away and deny the Miyazawa name for as long as possible, but it wasn't like she could. Akihito wanted to introduce her to her 'relatives' tonight, and she did not want to escape. The old man definitely had plans for her, and as far as Sakura was concerned, he also wanted to slowly reintroduce Honoka to the family, starting from her daughter. While he seemed like a cruel, heartless man, Sakura had to hand it to him: he wanted his daughter back one way or another, and he was sick and tired of the game of chase they were playing. And because Sakura couldn't help Sasuke… she'd help her mother.

It was the least she could do.

"Why did she call you?"

"Worried about you, mostly," Sai replied, terse, "Asking if you're sure of doing this."

"It's not like I could back away _now_," Sakura sighed. "What do you suggest, jumping out of the window or something? At this height I'll be lucky to still be alive. My brain will explode, my blood will splatter, and…" she halted herself before she could continue, disturbed at her own words. This month's Miyazawa dinner was at a very popular restaurant on the twenty-sixth floor of the Hyuuga hotel.

"I could make excuses for you."

"Arakaki Sai!" She turned to her ex-boyfriend, amused and more than a little surprised. "Is that an offer?"

"Among other things," he replied evenly.

She shook her head, chuckling. "To think that they trust you so easily."

And it was true: Sai _was_ trusted by the Miyazawas. Perhaps it was Suigetsu's or Karin's influence, but the Miyazawas were totally taken by him. It was also why, Sakura presumed, he was to escort her—to make sure that she at least got that part down.

He shrugged. "I don't really care, honestly."

"Well… no."

"Are you sure?"

She smiled thinly at him. "Yes."

"It is your decision, Sakura. And it's not too late to change it."

"Did my parents bribe you or something?" she asked, unable to stop herself. "Why are you so concerned?"

A crease formed between his brows. "You forgot the one thing that was fundamental between you and me, Sakura."

"And what is that?"

"We were best friends."

Her eyes widened slightly but soon the surprise faded away and she smiled softly at him. "We were, weren't we? The best of friends."

"Mm-hmm." He did not look at her.

The pink-haired woman turned to look at the mirror, studying their reflection together. "You know what?"

"What?"

"It doesn't hurt anymore, to look at you. To stand by your side like this," she looked thoughtful, "It doesn't really feel like anything at all, really…" She paused, and then turned her head to _really_ look at him now, emerald green meeting dark solid brown. "I think I'm over you, Sai. For good."

"I think you have been for quite some time, Sakura." His smile was wry, but it was real. "For good."

She beamed at him. "I suppose."

"Shall we put up an act, then?" he asked, offering his hand, "For old times' sake?"

She took his hand, his offer of friendship, and his arm circled around her waist, his fingers resting on her hip lightly, though the gesture was neither possessive nor romantic. His face was stoic even as she smiled at him.

"You ready?"

This time, she nodded, and then he led her out into the light.

xx

"Stop drinking that right now, Sui, I need you to be sober for my parents," Karin ordered as soon as she saw her boyfriend pick up another glass of wine. She knew he had an extraordinarily high tolerance for alcohol, but this was the Miyazawas' monthly dinner, for Christ's sake, and they needed to put some effort into _looking_ sober, at the very least.

Suigetsu cursed but put away his glass as told, before he reached out for Karin and pressed her against his built frame, dropping a lazy kiss on her collarbone. He caressed her deep purple dress, thinking that it would be a shame to rip it off her later that night.

Karin, however, had other things in mind. She muttered a string of curses under her breath as she saw Sakura and Sai emerging on the other side of the room. Grabbing Suigetsu's arm, she crossed the room, still managing to look graceful as she hurried.

"Listen," she said as soon as both Sai and Sakura were within earshot, "Let me just brief you for a moment there, darling." She gestured at Sakura's earrings, and then discreetly at someone at a distance. "You see that woman over there? The one wearing the seaweed green dress, talking to her husband, very skinny, very tall?" Sakura nodded, and Karin said, "Yeah, it's hers, and you're going to have to thank her."

To her credit, Sakura looked unfazed. "Alright."

"Her name is Megumi. Miyazawa Megumi. We call her Megumi-obasan, but you probably should stick with '-san' first…" Karin trailed off thoughtfully. "Yes, that should do."

"Thank you." Sakura smiled briefly at her cousin. "You're being very nice."

Suigetsu snorted, and Karin elbowed him on the ribs. She scowled at Sakura and said, "Just doing my job. Well, It's on you now, Sai."

Sai nodded, leading Sakura away, his hand at the small of her back. "She's warming up to you, you know."

"Who?" Sakura raised her eyebrows. "Karin? Are you serious?"

He looked genuinely amused now. "She says you're 'not too bad, tolerable'. That's the equivalent of like in her dictionary, I believe."

"She _has_ been very nice," Sakura muttered, looking bewildered now, "I suppose I must thank her."

"First things first," he reminded her. "Here goes."

Miyazawa Megumi was twenty-one years old when she married Miyazawa Kenji, Honoka's older brother, and effectively into the Miyazawa family. She was obviously decades older now, smooth wrinkles drawing pale lines across her face. Her beautiful long hair was golden brown, and her eyes were the deepest blue. There was an air of aristocracy about her that no one could deny; she was simply refined. Her smile was guarded, almost otherworldly—she'd seen them before they saw her.

"Well, well, well." The corners of her lips curled upwards. "What do we have here, Sai?"

Sai returned the smile evenly and introduced them both, wisely omitting Sakura's family name. "Megumi-san, this is Sakura. Sakura, this is Megumi-san."

"Honoka-san's daughter, I believe?" Megumi nodded at Sakura, her smile widening a fraction. "It is an honour to finally meet you, Sakura-san."

"It is an honour to meet _you_, too, Megumi-san," Sakura responded smoothly, knowing better than to attempt a handshake when Megumi did not initiate one, "I just want to say thank you for letting me borrow your earrings. They are utmost beautiful."

"It matches the dress," Megumi replied, still smiling, "Besides, I don't have use of it anymore. What will be better than to lend a helping hand to those that are lacking, those who need it the most, right?"

"Of course." Sakura was very, very much aware of the thorn in the Miyazawa's phrase, of what the latter was trying to imply. She was determined to be on her best behaviour tonight, though, so she kept her face cool and her tone crisp, indifferent. She could go home and throw darts all she wanted later, but now she would just have to hold it in. No matter. "That is most admirable of you, Megumi-san."

Sai cleared his throat, sensing an opportunity to get away. "Well, then," he said, "Sakura, we still have to go greet the others. Megumi-san, we'll see you later."

"Thank you once again," Sakura said, curving her lips into a bright smile.

Megumi waved her hand dismissively and they quickly escaped, making their way down to the buffet. Sakura eyed the selection of drinks they had, and Sai sighed, taking the one closest to them—colourless liquid in a tall glass with a slice of lemon—and handing it to her.

"People are looking," he said simply when she raised her eyebrows.

"How annoying," she muttered under her breath although she received the glass and shot him a grateful look anyway.

She turned around and surveyed the whole room. More and more people were there, and naturally, more and more eyes were on her and Sai. She supposed everyone knew that she was Honoka's daughter by the way they were looking at her—discomfort, distaste, even disgust—and the unresolved questions in their eyes._ Is that Honoka's daughter? Didn't Honoka run away? Wasn't she disowned? What's Honoka's daughter doing here, after all these years? _

If her mother was to go back to this family, then Sakura was sure of one thing: she'd have to change their minds. She'd have to show them that her mother most certainly did _not_ make a mistake. She'd have to show the Miyazawas that she, Honoka's daughter, was raised well, was raised like an aristocrat, a socialite just like they were. She'd just have to show them.

And she would. She would be the most perfect daughter tonight. She'd be all the things Ougi had taught her to be and more: charming without being demeaning, self-appreciating without being overconfident, pleasant without too much flattering. She'd take all they threw at her and use it against them.

Oh yes.

Tonight, Haruno Sakura would be on her best behaviour, and the Miyazawas would just have to admit defeat.

xx

On the other side of the city, Sasuke stood, also surveying the room in front of him—except it wasn't quite the same. Anxious eyes stared back at him; some were even downright frightened. He had called in his staff representatives for a meeting tonight with no one else but him, Naruto, Itachi, and them. The Uchiha elders had trusted this particular task onto him, and annoying as it was, it was still a task.

"D-doesn't this mean that there would b-be layoffs?" a timid young man in his mid-twenties, fresh out of college, stuttered, breaking the unnerving silence. "Like… like a redundancy?"

"We don't want to lie, you deserve better than that," Sasuke looked grim, "so our answer is yes. Yes, if we end up in a merger or a takeover with the Miyazawas—or with any company out there, really—there would be a higher risk for layoffs. In other words," he added, seeing the confused face of the poor man, "In other words, your employment with the Uchiha's may be temporarily or permanently terminated."

"But… but _why_?" a female worker asked, horror-struck.

"If we end up in a merger, or like Sasuke said, God forbid, a takeover with another company," Itachi began to explain, "There would be twice the number of employees a company normally needs, and most positions would have two people. This, as you should _already_ know, means higher costs for the company and putting it bluntly, there's no way we could sustain all of you people at once—unless you want to work for a fraction of your current salary, but I highly doubt it."

Her face paled at the thought of losing her job and she shrunk on her seat, whimpering, and Naruto immediately pitied her.

"This doesn't have to happen if there's no merger or acquisition," the blond added, "But if it happens… it happens."

"We don't like it either," Sasuke said, voice clear across the meeting room, "In fact, we downright hate it. We wish it doesn't have to happen, but our chances are slim. We don't want to scare you—we just want to let you know what's happening."

"As in the deal with the workers' union," added Setsuna, his secretary, when she saw the confused faces around the room at Sasuke's statement.

"Yes, as agreed in the deal with the workers' union," agreed the Uchiha tiredly, darting his eyes around the room, "Questions?"

"Not a question." Another worker, an older, gruff-looking man now. "Okay, fine, a question. _How the fuck did this happen_?"

"Language, Nagi-san," Setsuna warned.

"It's alright." Itachi's face was grave. "Believe me, we are just as upset about this as you are. This is not a definite case, of course, as we may still have a chance—very slim, but a chance is still a chance—and we assure you we will do our best to prevent it from happening."

"That doesn't answer my question."

"_Nagi-san_."

"It's alright," Itachi repeated, although his voice was icy now, "Nagi-san, was it? It would turn out that one of our people has made it through his head that this company is working less than its full capability, and thinks that it would be better under another."

Well, Sasuke thought idly, shooting his older brother a look, _that_ was putting it just about right—honest without sharing too much. "That's true," he nodded when Nagi looked at him for confirmation. Much to his surprise, the employees didn't trust Itachi as much as they trusted him. It was natural, of course, since Itachi had appeared in the office and placed himself in a position of power just out of the blue, but it also strangely pleased him that hey, they _were_ good at different things. "Although I would advise that you speak with more respect, Nagi-san. We are all in the same boat here."

"Sorry," Nagi muttered, chagrined, casting his look downwards.

Sasuke sighed and looked at Naruto meaningfully. "Naruto."

Naruto reached out to the stack of papers in front of him and passed it to his secretary, who distributed it to everyone in the room. "Ultimately," he said, "Ultimately the decision lies on every shareholder in the company. And since we work with profit sharing for those who want it, ultimately, we—and that _includes_ you, really—have a say in this. Almost negligible, perhaps, but a say nonetheless. The document I just hand out details all you need to know, all you need to prepare for our final meeting with the Miyazawa's…"

"This means read it," Itachi picked up from there, a look of utter dislike marring his handsome face. "Learn your responsibilities, think about where you really stand and what you really want from us. You each get a vote."

"The deciding meeting will be held exactly ten days from now, Monday next _next _week, 4 PM here. It's mandatory to come, and I won't have any excuses," Sasuke added, and while his face was impassive, his voice was fierce and had an air of finality. "By some kind of miracle and a lot of fingers-crossing, we might have nothing to worry about by the end of next week," he raised his eyebrows, "Any other questions?" When no one raised their hand or spoke, he wrapped it up, "That's all for today. Thank you for your cooperation and understanding, and you are all free to go home."

When the room was empty of employees except Naruto, Itachi, and Sasuke, Naruto reached below the table, into his bag, and fished out a bottle of champagne. He put it on the table along with three paper cups, and tossed the Uchiha brothers a grin as he poured the champagne into the cups. "Bollinger's _blanc de noirs_," he said when Itachi looked at the bottle curiously, "I thought we should drink."

"Drink to what, exactly?" Sasuke asked tiredly.

"For the future," Naruto answered optimistically, beaming at him.

Itachi smiled as well, the corners of his lips turning upwards just so, "For luck."

"How very _classy_," the sarcasm was thick in Sasuke's voice, although he leaned forward and picked up his cup, lifting it to his lips and sipping. He put it down and looked at the two men sitting beside him. One was his best friend and one was his brother, and both were there, tonight, for him. He might not have anything else to drink to, but at least he wasn't a poor man. "For the future," he repeated then, raising his cup, the two immediately following suit, "For luck."

They drank.

"For miracles."

.

.

.

**tbc.**

* * *

**a/n: **Or the list of stuff I want to point out, just for fun.

1. Kenji Miyazawa (1896-1933) was a Japanese poet, and one of his quotes is "We must embrace pain and burn it as fuel for our journey". Very fitting, yeah? :D

2. I'd like to take this moment to explain all the business junk to the best of my ability!

A) Profit sharing is a method of paying your employees by allowing them to buy the company shares, effectively making them shareholders.

B) Shareholders have numerous privileges depending on the company and the shareholders agreement, and in the Uchiha's they are allowed to vote to decide the future of the company.

C) A takeover results when a company buys another company and the target company ceases to exist because of that (e.g. if the Uchiha's is bought by the Miyazawa's, it would stop to exist and only become a part of the Miyazawa's). This is different from a merger, which is when two companies agree to combine into one single company (e.g. the two combining becoming Uchiha-Miyazawa or something).

Mind you, all this is based on my learning of Business in IB, research around the web and general business knowledge. Feel free to point out inaccuracies (in other words, please do).

3. _Blanc de noirs_, literally "white of blacks", is the French term for a white wine made of black grapes.

4. Can anyone tell I _love_ SaiSaku?

Alrighty, I think that's all that needs explaining? Thanks for being here, lovely people!


	23. xxiii

**a/n:** Thanks for all of your reviews!

* * *

**twenty-three.**

.

.

.

On Sunday morning, Sakura woke up to the smell of food.

This was not a weird occurrence if Tenten had been home; the woman often spent weekends cooking and baking something, but as it was this time she was away. Which, of course, made it strange that Sakura could smell sweet honey pancakes when there was no one at home.

Putting on her robe, she made her way out of her room, pocketing her phone just in case.

"Tenten?" she called into the kitchen, "I thought you were going to stay until next—Mom!"

Honoka was, in fact, standing inside the living room in an apron, on her right hand a wooden spatula and on her left a plate of pancakes. She smiled brightly at Sakura. "Good morning, dear."

"Mom! What are you doing here?"

Putting the plate on the table, Honoka straightened up. "I just thought it would be nice to spend the day together today… unless you have other plans, of course?"

"No, I have no plans!" Sakura quickly smiled, pulling her mother into a tight hug. "How have you been?"

"Good," Honoka said softly, "And you?"

"Sleepy, but I'll feel a lot more better after your pancakes. They're the best!" Sakura exclaimed cheerfully. "Did Dad come with you? How did you get here?"

"He dropped me off and went to play golf," Honoka replied, "and then I let myself in with your spare key."

Sakura nodded, her eyes trailing to the food on the table. She swallowed when she saw how the table was set. Her mother must have wanted to talk to her about something important; she never prepared breakfast if there wasn't any need to. "They smell good."

Honoka beamed. "Why don't we eat now?"

Sakura woman swallowed again. This was yet another sign. Honoka was big on the whole notion of taking a bath first thing in the morning before anything else. It simply meant that what she was about to bring up was a matter of great importance, and Sakura had little to no idea what that was. Except… except, oh, who was she kidding? Of course she had an idea—a clear idea, in fact. After all, she cut off any communication with Honoka at the Miyazawa's dinner last night. It was only natural that she'd want to talk about it as soon as possible.

"Well?" Honoka raised an eyebrow.

Wordlessly, Sakura took her seat on the dining table and nodded respectfully as Honoka sat across of her. They ate in silence for several moments before Honoka finally put down her fork and rested her chin on her fist, looking at her daughter with earnest eyes.

"So tell me," she began softly, "How was the dinner?"

"The food was delicious," was Sakura's careful reply.

"Sai was your date, yes?"

"Yes."

There was a few beats of silence—eleven, Sakura had counted—before Honoka nodded and asked, carefully, almost detachedly, "How's your grandfather?"

Sakura looked at her mother with guarded eyes. "He's… ambitious, as always."

"At the dinner?"

"He introduced me around and let me go on my own," Sakura replied, unable to keep the dryness from her voice, "It's kind of refreshing, though I can't help but think it has something to do with Sai being my date."

Akihito had been very, very quiet, never trying to do anything and just letting Sakura wander around the room to greet important relatives and 'easing into' the Miyazawas, so to speak. There hadn't even be a glamorous introduction, only one when they began to eat in which Akihito demanded everyone's attention and told them, very plainly, that she was Haruno Sakura, daughter of Miyazawa Honoka. There was a moment where he looked like he was about to mention Manabe but it never happened. Surprisingly, the Miyazawas had accepted the news gracefully, calmly. A select few were nice enough to attempt to talk to her, while others just hung back and watched her every move. In the end, Sakura could only believe that the event went on rather peacefully because Sai was by her side the whole time. Karin had been right to appoint Sai as her date. Everybody—_everybody_—loved Sai, and to put it simply, last night he was her saving grace.

"How's… how's my mom?"

Noticing the distinction by which Honoka addressed her parents, Sakura raised her eyebrows. Miyazawa Yukina was a kind woman, her smile warm and radiant. She spoke with a low, soothing voice that made Sakura think she was a little nervous. In truth, she was very different compared to Akihito that it was a wonder how they could stay married, amiably so, for so long—but then again, knowing the family, their marriage could simply be one for convenience.

"I think she misses you," Sakura said, voice soft. Yukina had asked about Honoka thrice during their two-minute conversation.

Honoka's eyes were tender. "I miss her, too."

And this was why Sakura was so sure about what she wanted—_needed_—to do. Honoka might never complain about not seeing her parents for thirty long years, but Sakura knew her mother missed them. And what better way was there to make her happy than give her an opportunity to do so?

"Sakura… I've been thinking."

"Yes?"

"I want to meet them."

"Okay…?" Sakura angled her head, confused.

"I want to meet them," Honoka repeated, "and… I think I will. For real, this time. I… never really told you this, but recently, I talked to your grandmother and… she's been supportive, I think."

"She wants you to return?"

"Oh, no!" There was a sad, stiff smile marring Honoka's beautiful face. "We're not like that. She's my mother and we love each other, but there is a name to uphold, you see, darling." When Sakura scoffed, she sighed, "What do you think the world will say if they see Miyazawa Akihito picking up the trash he has no trouble discarding, so many years ago?"

"Mom!" the pink-haired woman cried indignantly, her emerald eyes blazing in anger, "You are _not_ trash! You're kind and you're the best mother I can ever have! Don't say that!"

"Oh, no, I know I'm not trash," Honoka laughed at her daughter's outburst, "It's just that to some people, Sakura, some things are worth more than blood. You… you've worked with the Miyazawas, I'm sure you know what it's like: how busy it is, how much profit it gets on a day to day basis, how much influence it has over the business world at large…"

"But what does that have to do anything?"

"Imagine this: Miyazawa Akihito, the CEO of one of the most prominent and influential companies in Japan's economy, taking back what he's thrown away. It's like he's going back on his own words, like admitting he was wrong, indecisive…" Honoka looked at her daughter and reached across the table to brush a hand on her cheek, "Do you see where I'm going with this?"

It would be a lie to say no, so Sakura sighed reluctantly and nodded.

"Exactly. People will hear about this and they'll think he has made a mistake. He can't afford that. The _company_ can't afford that. What will people think? How will it influence his business ties? The business world isn't exactly stable, Sakura. It's not… constant. People hear about something and they immediately assume the worst. No," she held out a finger when Sakura was about to protest, "No, it may not be fair, but that's how the world works. You may think that he's being selfish, but… well, let's just say he actually _wants_ me back, and that he takes me back. There's a chance that the image of the company is tainted, and guess who will be affected by that? Thousands of people who work in the company. _That_'s being selfish, Sakura."

Sakura did not say anything. What Honoka said, after all, had a ring of truth to it.

"I didn't say it's a good thing," Honoka continued, "but it certainly happens."

"What does Dad think about this?"

"Your father understands."

Sakura's face crumpled. Of course Manabe did. He was raised as the heir to a very big company, too, after all, and while his family was nowhere as strict or notoriously rich as his wife's, of course he understood where they all were coming from. The whole thing was stupid, in her opinion, but it wasn't like she could do anything about it. Not alone, anyway.

"I… don't want to come back to the Miyazawas," Honoka said, her voice soft, "That's not what I want, that's not what I need. I only want to see my parents again and… if fate gives it to us, maybe make some amends. What I did was bad—"

"Marrying Dad is not a crime!" Sakura looked alarmed.

"Of course it's not!" Honoka shook her head bewilderedly, "It's the second best thing that has ever happened to me—"

"What's the first one?"

Viridian eyes softened. "Having you."

"Oh, Mom," Sakura choked, the back of her eyes burning almost immediately. "That's—"

"I'm glad you take after your father," Honoka laughed softly, "I'm glad you're as warm, as caring, as kind as he is. As unselfish. Do you want to know something, Sakura? I always feel—I always feel so _blessed_ to have you and your father, so undeserving. You two have been my shield, my sword, my fortress… but it is time for me to grow up. It's time for me to admit that running away, thirty years ago, is a cowardly mistake."

"Mom…"

"Your father has agreed," Honoka continued, brushing Sakura's bangs away from her eyes, "We've… agreed that it's time to come back. More importantly, it's time for _me_ to stop hiding behind you two and pay my dues. It's time for me to be brave, to stop running. I can't escape forever, and I don't want to."

"I…" Sakura swallowed. "I don't know what to say."

"You don't have to say anything. You don't have to _do_ anything. You and your father have been so sweet to me, all this time, and now it's on me to do something for both of you. Sakura… if you want to quit the company, you should."

There was a serene, gentle smile on Honoka's lips, and it reminded Sakura so much of Yukina that she blinked. "There's… ah, there's a work contract that I have signed," she finally said, "but… it doesn't matter, Mom. I've been… surviving. I'll admit that it's not exactly my dream job, but it's better than I thought it would be. They all have been very… hospitable."

"Hospitable," Honoka repeated, the word escaping her lips in a whisper, "Do you think… do you think they will be hospitable with me, as well?"

"I don't know," Sakura replied apologetically, "but… but I will be there. I'm not quitting. My being there will help you, won't it?"

"Well—"

"_Mom_."

"Fine," the older woman shook her head, her fingers covering Sakura's and squeezing gently, "I'm not forcing you to quit. I'm not forcing you to stay. You do what you have to do, what you think is right. However, if it's not what you want, _please_ don't. It's your life you live, your decisions you make. My mistakes aren't yours to pay for, and I will not just stand there and watch you carry my burden for me."

"I want to do this, Mom," Sakura clutched her mother's fingers, "I know it's very… unexpected, but I _want_ to do this. Not… not only for you. Not for me. But… but for something else."

Honoka raised her eyebrows. "Something else?"

Subconsciously, Sakura's eyes darted to the wilting roses Sasuke threw to her feet. It had already been nine days since then, but she took good care of them. She put them in a large glass vase by her bedside table, changed the water every now and then to make sure they stayed as fresh as they could, kept them out of direct sunlight… the only thing she didn't try was floral preservatives, and while they looked fine, she knew that they would die very, very soon.

Their time was running out, as was hers.

"Something else," she finally affirmed, "Just… something I can't talk about yet. I'm not… I'm still thinking about it."

Thankfully, Honoka only nodded. "If you say so." She squeezed Sakura's hands. "Know this, however: I'm always here for you, darling, and I love you. I only want the best for you, you know that, right?"

"I love you too, Mom," Sakura replied, quickly tearing her eyes away from the flowers. She tried to give Honoka a bright smile. "And I know that, really, I do."

"Alright," Honoka smiled back. "Sakura? It will be fine."

Her smile was gentle, reassuring, but the light in her eyes was full of fierce determination, and it was then that Sakura realised just how right her mother was: it was time to be brave, to stop hiding, to stop running, to do what she thought was right.

It was time.

xx

"What do you want?"

Akihito's tone was sharp, demanding, but Sakura was undeterred. There was something she needed to do, and he was the only one who could grant her this one wish. She stepped forward and bravely took the seat by his desk.

"I need you to do something for me."

Dark, dark eyes gleamed. "I don't do things for free."

"I know that!" Sakura snapped reflexively at his harsh tone, and then swallowed when she realised her manners weren't helping her get anywhere. "I know that," she repeated softly, clearing her throat, "And that's why I'm here. To make a deal with you."

"A deal." Akihito's voice was flat. "What kind of deal?"

"Don't—don't buy the Uchiha's."

He raised his eyebrows. "And why not?"

"They're doing well and I'm sure they will continue to do well without your help," Sakura explained, "The… company works differently than yours. It's… different. It's not—it's not _only_ a moneymaking machine."

There was an indecipherable gleam in those dark green eyes. "Are you saying that I don't do things right in this company, Sakura?"

"No," she replied quietly, "I'm just saying that—that your… your _style _may not fit the Uchiha's."

"Hmm," Akihito put down his fountain pen and leaned back on his seat, scrutinising Sakura's face, "Does this have anything to do with Uchiha Sasuke?"

Hearing the name delivered so casually, the pink-haired woman winced, her face crumpling. "I… no. Not in that sense."

"What are you saying, then?"

"All I'm saying is that Sasuke—no, _Uchiha_—knows his company inside out, and he… I think he cares about it. I think he's the only person deserving of his company. And I know… I know that his employees would only be happy working with him, as opposed to working _for_ you—or anyone else really—"

Akihito raised his eyebrows, "And how would you know this?"

"I've worked before. Not on the top of the ladder like you do now. I've been… down there, working as the smaller people. I know what it's like to have less money, to have so many worries… to work and work and work but realising that nothing good ever comes by," Sakura chewed on her lip nervously, "But I also know what it's like when 'the top' cares about it. When he doesn't care only about making profit, or the company's reputation, or himself. When he cares about you. When he works so hard to make sure you'll always have something to bring home to your family. When he works, and works, and works, and doesn't only rely on you to work for him."

His dark eyes flashed with an indecipherable emotion for a moment, but Sakura kept her gaze unwavering on his face. She wouldn't back down. She was so close—_so close_.

"So what do you propose I do?" Akihito asked.

"I want you to leave the Uchiha's as it is," Sakura replied quickly, praying that her voice was strong and confident enough, "Don't buy them. They're a good company on their own."

"They can be more profitable under the Miyazawa's. More money for everyone, in the long run."

"But that's not the most important thing, you see," she countered, "It's not the most important thing… or it _shouldn't_ be."

Akihito stood up and retrieved some files from the shelves behind him, throwing it in front of Sakura. "Do you know the kinds of things the Miyazawa's can do for the company? For the employees? For the general public?" he demanded, "Take a look at the figures, Sakura. You're a financial consultant, you of all people should know the benefits working for the Miyazawa's can bring to a company like the Uchiha's—and the benefits _we_ can get from working with them."

Sakura's fingers were shaking as she lifted the documents from the table, her eyes sweeping over them quickly as the facts and figures registered in her head. Putting the paper down, she shook her head. "Then form a partnership. Work on a project together. Approach them differently, not in a hostile takeover. That gives both companies the opportunity to profit from each other for an indefinite period of time while also making sure that the relationship _works_. You…" she cleared her throat and dared herself to speak, "Y-you, of all people, would _know_ the kind of risks a takeover brings forth, I'm sure."

Akihito chuckled at the challenge in her voice, although it wasn't cynical as she thought it would be. Instead, it was almost… amused. "That there might be management conflict and mass termination of employees? Better than anyone else."

"Exactly."

He nodded at her affirmation and sat once more, his eyes studying every inch of her face before he finally asked, "Why?"

"There's… there's something—someone—I want to protect," she said quietly, "And I will do anything I can to… do so. No matter the cost."

He leaned back on his chair and gave her a long, searching look. "Who?"

"I believe you already know who. Either way, it's not important. What's important is that the company means a lot to him, and he… he means a lot to me," she took a deep breath, "I'd rather not see him hurt when _I_ could have stopped it with my hands."

Akihito looked at her for a long, long while, before a slow, languid smirk spread on his lips. "You remind me a lot of my daughter."

Sakura said nothing although she looked up and met his eyes.

"She, too, was willing to let herself suffer in the name of love." His tone was dry, and there was an almost nostalgic, tired, regretful look in his normally emotionless eyes. "Once I did not understand why she would do that… and you, you are a lot like her."

Still nothing.

"But like I said, I do not do things for free," Akihito cleared his throat, business-like and impassive once more, "What can you offer me if I do as you want… if you have _anything_ to offer me at all, that is?"

"I'll do what you want me to," Sakura's voice was controlled, calm. "I'll never meet him again if you say the word. As long as you don't buy the company—and do what you can to keep it from being bought—I'll do anything you say. Even if you say you want to meet… to meet my mother. Anything. _Anything_."

Akihito rested his chin to his fist, his index finger curling below his lips, a very Honoka-like gesture. "So if I ask you to change your name to Miyazawa and move into my home, you will?"

The reply had taken her less than a heartbeat as she lifted her gaze to his face, piercing sharp. "I will."

He raised his eyebrows at her and stared her down, as if daring her to change her mind, to bolt out of here, to run away as fast as she could, but Sakura kept her gaze steady on his.

Her head was swimming with all the memories between her and Sasuke. No one in this world had come close to making her feel the way he did, and she doubted that anyone could. No one could make her as happy, and ironically, no one could make her _hurt_ as much. This, essentially, was how she knew she was doing the right thing. Because no one else could compare. Because he mattered to her, even if she didn't to him. Because she wanted him to be happy, even if it wasn't with her.

Because—goodness, how it _pained_ her to admit this—she might have loved him. And because despite everything… despite everything, she might just still love him.

And this was how she knew she would never regret this. Ever.

.

.

.

**tbc.**

* * *

**a/n:** Thank you for reading, and a lovely weekend to you all!


	24. xxiv

**a/n:** Hi guys, hope your weekend is lovely so far. (:

* * *

**twenty-four.**

.

.

.

"Uchiha Sasuke."

Sasuke brushed his bangs away and turned his head to the voice, coming face to face with the one and only Miyazawa Akihito. A languid smirk spread on the older man's lips, his green eyes glinting with amusement.

"Miyazawa-san," Sasuke nodded. "You're here early."

It was Monday and in about one hour, the final meeting between the two companies would commence. Everyone in the building was buzzing with energy and anticipation, and while his insides were a bundle of nerves, by some kind of sheer willpower Sasuke managed to look confident and aloof as usual.

Today was the day.

Today was the day he'd find out the Uchiha's future, whether it be in his hands or Miyazawa Akihito's hands. Frankly, beneath it all, Sasuke was relieved. They had given their best this past few weeks, and the sooner they found out, the better. Only one thing was certain: he would be enjoying himself later tonight, drinking either to drown his sorrows or celebrate his winnings.

"Ah, yes." Akihito nodded back. "Before that, there's something urgent I want to run by you first."

"Of course." Sasuke looked at Naruto and Itachi, and then pointed to the direction of the meeting room. "Shall we, then?"

"Sure."

Sasuke said nothing as he led Akihito into the meeting room and the four of them sat in their chairs. Silence fell upon them as Akihito's dark green eyes focused solely on Sasuke in an almost intense stare. In return, Sasuke simply stared back, his gaze unwavering and strong.

In less than a second, Akihito made his decision.

"I have come to a conclusion," he began solemnly, "and I think this would please you. All of you."

"Excuse me?"

"Well… how to put this simply, I wonder?" Akihito said, more to himself, and then leaned forward. His green eyes gleamed with amusement as he spoke. "I've decided to pull out."

"What!" Naruto gaped. "But that means…"

"That's right," Akihito nodded, "I'm not buying the Uchiha's. No takeovers, no mergers, nothing."

Something in those dark green eyes told Sasuke that Akihito was enjoying every moment of this, where he was the one in power and others were just his subordinates. He looked at the CEO suspiciously. "And why is that?"

"Instead," the smirk on the Miyazawa's lips was morbidly pleased as he answered, "I would like to extend a hand to the Uchiha's for a future partnership or joint venture with the Miyazawa's… should you find that to your benefit."

Itachi's eyes narrowed marginally. A partnership or a joint venture with a company as influential as the Miyazawa's was very likely to secure their own position in the market, and with that, the elders would never dream of selling the company to anyone—at least for the length of time of their alliance. Not only it bought them more time should Madara try anything else, it would drive competitors away. In a way, it was one of the best things that could ever happen to them, if done right.

"Of course, there is no need to make that decision now. We'll cross that bridge when we get there," Akihito continued, his voice oddly gratifying, "I'm simply making an offer. Whether or not you decide to accept it is all yours. Let me just remind you that it can be very beneficial to your company… as well as mine, of course."

Distrust creased the space between Itachi's eyebrows. "On what grounds?"

Amusement flitted across Akihito's face, brief but unmistakable. Sasuke had the feeling that his older brother had hit the bulls' eye.

"I'm offended you have to ask, Uchiha-san," he deadpanned, "I do not wish to put you in any half-baked scheme. I am not that kind of man."

But of course, it was _unthinkable_ that Akihito would make such an offer, especially when he could have had the whole Uchiha's to himself and not just a part of it, and _that_ would be even more beneficial.

Akihito smiled. "Confused?"

"I don't understand," Sasuke admitted. "Why would you do this?"

The smile widened, but it did not reach his eyes. The Miyazawa relaxed on his seat, crossing his arms over his chest as he fixed a scrutinizing gaze at Sasuke. "I had the most interesting talk with my granddaughter several days ago, Uchiha Sasuke."

_Sakura. What the hell did she do this time? _Sasuke narrowed his eyes although he did not say anything.

"She offered me a deal."

_A deal? _Something unpleasant twisted in Sasuke's stomach, and he felt as if he had swallowed a rock. "What kind of deal?"

"You might want to ask her that," Akihito responded taciturnly. "Let's just say that it changed my mind. If not for her, I would have gone through with our meeting today. Your uncle would be very pleased with that, I'm sure."

"What does that—"

"Uchiha Sasuke."

Akihito was not smiling anymore, and his tone was nowhere near pleasant. Quite the contrary, it was so sharp it could slice air. His face was eerily void of expression and his eyes were the darkest Sasuke had ever seen yet. Akihito leaned forward in his chair and rested his elbows on the slick surface of the table, his fingers entwining as a faint crease formed between his brows.

"Whatever you did to my granddaughter, it's making her do things she does _not_ want to do," he said succinctly, "and whatever she's doing, she's doing it for you."

Sasuke stared. "Pardon me?"

"I may be the head of a very successful business empire," Akihito allowed, "but I am not unperceptive nor am I oblivious to the feelings of others. While I am grateful she's taking her own initiative to be involved, I do not wish for her to do it out of obligation or desperation. Actions are most valuable when they are done out of one's own desire, as I'm sure you, as the leader of this company, can understand." He smiled at this, but it wasn't a friendly one. "Now, let me just ask you one thing. What are you, Sasuke-san, to Haruno Sakura?"

Naruto gasped, unable to contain his silence any longer. "What does Sakura-chan have to do with all of this?"

Akihito feigned surprise. "Oh? You haven't told them."

In typical Naruto fashion, the blond slammed a fist down on the table. "Damn right he hasn't!"

"Haruno Sakura," Sasuke said stiffly, "is Miyazawa-san's granddaughter."

At the revelation, Itachi sighed and brought his hand to massage his temple. Great. Just great. They had a meeting to go to in less than one hour and _nothing_ was working the way it was supposed to. Granted, with Akihito pulling out of the plan the only thing left to do was to explain to the employees and the elders. But this… this just seemed a lot more complicated than it should have been. Whatever Sasuke did and whoever he did it to, Akihito did _not_ look pleased, and it was always a bad idea to anger the giants.

_What have you done, Sasuke?_

"If you're asking about what relationship I have with Haruno Sakura, Miyazawa-san," Sasuke began, eyes clouded with emotions so _dark_, "then I'm afraid I have nothing to tell you. There is nothing between us."

Akihito's lips curled. "Ah. Can I hold your words for that?"

"I do not lie."

"Good. Neither do I." The Miyazawa's CEO eased into his seat again. "As a Miyazawa she will have no time for frivolous entanglements in which she loses more than she gains, Uchiha Sasuke. I hope you can respect that."

Obsidian eyes darkened. "Is that all?"

"That is all," Akihito clarified. "Keep this in mind: despite what I might have said, my offer for the Uchiha's still stands." He stood up. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have another meeting to go to."

Itachi immediately rose from his seat as well. Every inch the perfect businessman, he extended his hand for Akihito to shake and smiled courteously. "Shall I escort you, Akihito-san?"

After words of conclusion and gratitude were exchanged, Itachi escorted Akihito out. As soon as the doors closed with a small click, Naruto immediately moved his feet to stand up and face Sasuke.

"Okay, what the hell was that?" he demanded, "What the hell just happened? You seem to know perfectly well what he was talking about. Does this have anything to do with your refusal to talk about anything concerning Sakura-chan? What deal was he talking about? What kind of—"

"Naruto, shut up, I'm trying to think."

The blond frowned. "Is Sakura-chan really a Miyazawa?"

Sasuke sighed. "Yes."

"How do you know? Did she tell you?"

"No." Sasuke scoffed. "She didn't have to. I found out myself."

Naruto's face crumpled in confusion. Who would have thought that Sakura was one of those cold-blooded, strictly business people? She seemed so _different_. The way she approached Naruto to remind Sasuke to take a break every now and then, knowing that if she messaged Sasuke himself he'd get distracted and all. The way she smiled so brightly as if nothing bad had _ever_ happened. The way she _cared_ about Sasuke, even if the Uchiha was probably too blind to see it let alone acknowledge it.

So Sakura was a Miyazawa. Strange that she never mentioned it. Anybody else would have flaunted such a connection to the most influential family in Japan's economy. Strange that she was never acknowledged as one. Most of the Miyazawas were high profile and they'd appear in the media every now and then, be it for a charity event, a piece of juicy gossip, a business deal, or whatever else.

Strange that she honestly did _not_ look the part. All of the Miyazawas looked and acted extremely elite. Sakura was sweet, but she definitely did not look elite. In fact, she was more down-to-earth than many people he knew.

Something did not click here.

"You called her a traitor," Naruto recalled aloud. "Why did you call her a traitor, Sasuke?"

"Because she _is_."

"She's a Miyazawa and that makes her a traitor?"

Stormy obsidian eyes glared. "Isn't it obvious?"

"I don't see it."

"You've always been blind."

"No," Naruto insisted, ignoring the mocking tone his best friend had adopted, "I don't _see_ it. What's obvious is _you_ have issues against her, issues that branched out of nowhere and honestly, that makes you look like some deranged, senile bas—"

"It did not branch out of _nowhere_," Sasuke hissed dangerously, venom seeping into his voice.

"Okay," Naruto allowed, shrugging, "so what's the deal all about?"

The door opened again before Sasuke could respond and Itachi entered, locking it behind him. He didn't move closer, instead crossed his arms across his chest and peered at his younger brother over the rows of chairs.

"The way you behaved with Akihito can be considered disrespectful, Sasuke. I expect you to understand what that means. His offer still stands but I have no doubt that he was less than impressed." Itachi frowned. "Explain."

The order was gruff, but the authority in his brother's voice made Sasuke relent, and words poured out of his mouth as he narrated what happened several days ago.

When he was done, Naruto turned to look at him with doubt in his normally bright, clear blue eyes. "Sasuke," he whispered, "Do you really think she lied to you?"

"I _told_ you, she works for the Miyazawas—"

"If she really works for the Miyazawas, would she have made that deal with Akihito, Sasuke?" Itachi interrupted, his question thrown so casually, so lightly, that it threw Sasuke off-balance. "Whatever she did, it _saved_ us, whether you like it or not. Akihito admitted it himself. _She_ changed his mind."

Blood drained from his face. "What the fuck do you mean by that?"

"Exactly what I said." The older Uchiha was still impassive. "If she honestly works for the Miyazawas, would she have made the effort to save our company? No, I shouldn't think so."

"But—"

"But nothing, Sasuke!" Naruto slammed his fist onto the table, seething, "But _nothing_! You were wrong, and from the look on your face… _you know it too_."

Sasuke's eyes narrowed into dark slits.

"Sasuke…" Naruto's voice was almost sad, sympathetic, "How many times do you have to hurt Sakura-chan until you're satisfied?"

"Okay—_why_ do you even care?" Sasuke shot back defensively, angrily. "You don't even know her."

"Not as much as you do, perhaps," Naruto agreed, looking more tired than anything, "but ironically, _I_ know her well enough to trust that she won't do this to anyone. _I_ know she's not like that. _I_ know she's not a traitor, and hell, I don't even know her as well as you do!"

Itachi raised an eyebrow, and asked, very quietly, "Did she ever ask you who our prospective buyer is?"

"No! But she didn't have to, did she, because she already knew that!"

"But what if she didn't know?" the older Uchiha pressed insistently, dark eyes narrowing over his brother's face. "You know how these things work. Ideas of takeovers aren't normally shared with the employees unless they are actually happening, and seeing that we haven't even made any deal with the Miyazawa's, I doubt Akihito told her that. I doubt he told anyone that, except for his assistant. You _know_ how men like him work. She did not lie."

"She also did not tell me the truth."

"Oh, seriously!" Naruto slapped a hand onto his forehead and slumped onto his seat. "If she didn't know that they were going to buy us, she could've thought that it didn't matter so she didn't tell you!"

"Well, it's a _big_ matter to hide from me," Sasuke countered, equally frustrated although for reasons he did not understand now, "We all _know_ how influential the Miyazawas are. It's _automatic_, idiot."

"Has it ever occurred to you that maybe it's _because_ they're so influential that she never told you?" Itachi mused contemplatively, "Think about it. She's a Haruno. I'm pretty sure the Miyazawa's family politics work like ours. Everyone who marries an Uchiha changes their name to Uchiha, female or male… they marry _into_ the family. It's a system to keep the clan's prestige in society. I wouldn't be surprised if the Miyazawas do that…"

"… but she's a Haruno," Naruto finished for him. "A _Haruno_. What does that say to you?"

Sasuke stiffened. He hadn't thought about that.

"In any case, it would be a scandal if someone named Haruno is actually a Miyazawa," Itachi continued, realizing the slight change in Sasuke's expression. "I mean, I've never heard about anyone named Haruno having familial ties with the Miyazawas. Have you?"

Naruto shook his head. "No."

"Bearing that in mind, it wouldn't be out of the ordinary for her to keep it a secret."

"But—but she kept it from _me_."

Understanding clicked in him, and Itachi raised his eyebrows. "Did you expect her to tell you everything?"

"I—"

"The whole thing is more complicated than it seems."

Tense silence seized them before Naruto spoke up, his voice almost unbearably soft: "Did you forget about Ino, Sasuke? Did you forget how Ino set you up with her?"

"I didn't—" Sasuke halted himself, suddenly unsure. He hadn't thought about Ino, either; had only been so consumed in his anger at her supposed betrayal that he forgot Ino's involvement at the start of it. "Ino might have made everything easier for her instead."

"I can't believe you're being so stubborn," Naruto shook his head, although his expression was a regretful one. "Think, Sasuke, _think_. I've always thought you were the smart one and now you're acting anything but! For a supposed genius you're amazingly _stupid_. If her intentions were to help the Miyazawas, then she wouldn't have asked you out to lunch there, would she? Especially when Akihito was there at the same time. She wouldn't tell you _anything_ about her family or her change of jobs. Seriously," he licked his lips, "If she's been lying to you for _six months_, then she's a master of deception and there is _no way_ she could have overlooked this one detail."

It was as if someone had punched the living daylights out of him. Someone might as well have.

Sasuke's heart plummeted.

_Six months_. _Has it really been that long?_

… _Did I throw away _six months_, just like that, without even thinking? _

He rose to his feet abruptly. "I—I need to—"

"No," Itachi interrupted. "Whatever you want to do, that can wait. We have a meeting to go to. It cannot wait. Sasuke, you know that. Do you honestly think that Miyazawa is Madara's only resort?"

"No," Sasuke shook his head, "No, of course not. But I need to…"

_See her. Talk to her. Ask her about the truth. _

But none of those things sounded right, and he knew what he really needed to do was to stay calm and clear his head. Itachi was right; they had a meeting to go and he was needed there. Madara was still _here_, lurking, waiting for the perfect moment to pounce. Getting rid of their first obstacle did not mean that they had victory—quite far from it.

"Fresh air," he said finally, his jaw set. "I need to get some fresh air."

xx

"You called for me?"

Akihito looked up from his documents to the pink-haired woman standing by his door. "Yes, I did."

"Oh." Sakura chewed on her lip. Cautiously, she slipped into the room and closed the door behind her. She stood idly there for a few seconds before mustering up enough courage and made her way to his desk, taking her seat on the guest armchair. "Well… I'm here now."

He wasted no time in getting to the main topic. "I've done as you asked."

"You did?" Her eyes widened. _So quick?_

"I did. I pulled out of the deal with Uchiha Sasuke—" she cringed slightly at the name but he continued anyway, "—and I offered him a partnership with the Miyazawa's. He has yet to answer, but he will make a fool out of himself if he declines."

She smiled wanly. "I'm pretty sure he's not that stupid."

"I'm going to hold on to your words."

"Right…" Sakura swallowed nervously. "Well, uh, thank you."

"There is no need for gratitude," Akihito responded, putting away his documents, "as long as you hold up your part of the bargain. Can I trust you on that?"

She nodded.

"Good." hHe sat up straighter on his chair and rested his gaze on her face. "Now, let's talk about this, shall we?"

xx

"So… that's it?"

Ichinose Kurama, thirty-seven years old and one of the best lawyers in the city, stopped on his track and turned to look at Sasuke.

"For now." His tone was impassive, emotionless when he spoke, but there was a small, sympathetic smile playing on his lips, before he disappeared out of the door.

Sasuke sighed and relaxed into his seat, lifting his fingers and pressing them to his eyelids. The past few days had been crazy, to say the least.

After he explained what had happened to his employees and the shareholders on the Monday meeting, he called up Miyazawa Akihito to discuss their potential working relationship together. The man sounded happier than usual, and Sasuke had a feeling whatever was happening was happening the way he wanted it to.

Now that the Uchiha's position in the market was strengthened and pretty much secure, the elders seemed to understand that working together with the Miyazawa's would most likely earn them so much profit, garner good reputation and help them gain steadily growing market share, so selling was the last option for the company. Simply put, Madara's ideas were rebuked, argued against, and then deemed unworthy.

Which, of course, made Sasuke a little bit worried.

Now that Madara's plans had failed, it was only natural that he'd want revenge. Thankfully, Ichinose picked up on that and quickly offered some help in the form of legal advice while Itachi dug up some evidence on how Madara threatened Sasuke's parents. Old documents were retrieved and tested for authenticity. With those presented on the board meeting, Madara's rights and intents were questioned in front of the whole board and his reputation was pretty much hell in a handbasket.

With things _finally_ looking up, Sasuke was so relieved he might have tasted heaven for a second there.

His eyes caught sight of the golden invitation sitting on the far end of his desk. Reaching forward, he turned it around and read: '_Invitation to UCHIHA SASUKE — Miyazawa's Annual Ball'_, emblazoned in gold. The colour reminded him so much of a dress _someone_ wore so long ago it might have been a dream.

Things were looking up, except for one thing.

The ball was this Sunday, and it was absolutely crucial that he attended it now that a partnership with the Miyazawa's was in the works. It would simply be good business manners, but he was more than reluctant to go to the ball, reason being someone whose name started with S and ended with an A and was three syllables long.

Sakura.

Sakura, Sakura, _Sakura_.

The name sounded foreign, _wrong,_ in his head, on his lips, in his ears. It had been less than a months, and… God, he hated that.

He hated that he missed her.

He hated that her name was the last thing on his mind before he fell asleep every night, hated that her smile appeared whenever he was on a daze, hated that her tears _haunted_ his every waking moment. He hated the guilt tearing at his soul, hated knowing that his last words made her cry, hated realizing that she really was too good for him.

He hated the way she made him feel, hated the way he allowed himself to feel whenever she was around—like there was hope, like he needed not be anyone else, like he was good enough being himself, just him, only him, _especially _him.

He hated that he might have loved her. He hated that she might have loved him.

He hated knowing that after everything… there was no way it could be possible anymore.

Sakura, Sakura, _Sakura_.

The gods were playing a cruel joke on him. The _one_ time he found someone so special he wanted to give his _all_ to her, the one time he realized she was worth so much _more_ than even his everything.

It wasn't a lie. You _really_ only knew what you had after you lost it.

"Hey."

At the quiet greeting, Sasuke broke out of his reverie. Naruto was staring down at him with an annoyed look on his face. "Look. I've had enough."

"Of what?"

"Of you moping around like this!" Naruto waved his arms to his sides. "I've had enough. You need to wake up and _do something_. Seriously, Sasuke, you haven't even _called_ her yet. You act like you have the worst fate in the world but you have yet to do something about it!"

Sasuke sighed. "On what grounds do you think she'll forgive me?"

Blue eyes narrowed in exasperation. "Well, if you _apologise_ you might have a chance at that."

"I don't think it's worth—"

"It's worth it," Naruto interrupted with a tone of finality, chewing on his lip for a moment before continuing, "Since you… since you made that deal with her, Sasuke, you smile more. You laugh more. You eat better, you sleep better. I don't know what she did to you or what happened between you two, but I know you well enough to know that you… that you, well, _need_ her, Sasuke."

Sasuke stiffened. Had he really been so transparent?

"She makes you happy," Naruto voice softened. "She _cares_ about you."

He frowned. "You wouldn't know that."

"Oh, but I do," Naruto countered, taking his seat on Sasuke's desk. "I do. Do you know the first thing she always asked of me before, every time she called, before things got all crazy?"

Silence.

"She always asked if you were doing good," the blue-eyed man answered himself, "If you were fine. If you were eating well, if you were resting well. She always asked about you. What is she, Sasuke, if she's not worth it?"

_Of course she's worth it. But she's not the problem. I am. _

"It's too late."

"It's not too late," Naruto whispered, patting his best friend on the shoulder. "Come on, Sasuke. Isn't it a bit too… I don't know, _pathetic_ of you to go down without a fight? You're _Uchiha Sasuke_. You make things happen!"

"That's crazy."

"You always said you wanted someone one-of-a-kind." Naruto patted his back. "Now _she_'s one of a kind."

"_You_'re crazy."

A mischievous smile spread on Naruto's lips, his bright blue eyes gleaming with playful mirth. "What are you, a girl?" he demanded, "Be a man! The Uchiha Sasuke I know wouldn't back down from challenges."

Sasuke was quiet for a few seconds, and then: "You always spout the most absurd nonsense."

But his heart felt lighter than it had been for days, and he had to admit: Naruto had a point. He always did. If not for him, he might never have met Sakura, and if not for that, he might never have become the man he was when she was with him.

And then her voice resonated in his head, strong and determined and telling him exactly what he needed to do:

_"If you want something, you fight for it." _

He wanted her.

"_If you want something, you fight for it."_

And for that, he had to—

"_If you want something, you _fight_ for it."_

—fight.

.

.

.

**tbc.**

* * *

**a/n:** Thanks for reading! :D


	25. xxv

**a/n:** Thank you to the old reviewers who have been with me from the start and welcome to the new readers and reviewers! I hope it's to your liking. Enjoy the chapter! :)

* * *

**twenty-five.**

.

.

.

Sai liked to think that apart from being one of the most successful entrepreneurs of his age, he was also a painter. An artist, if you would—someone who could see beyond the physical, someone who could find beauty behind the cracks and fissures, someone who could really _see_.

Sakura had always been pretty. She was definitely not the knock-you-off-your-feet kind, but Sai knew beauty and he knew she was attractive. In fact, she would paint a very fine picture now, standing proud with a smile playing on her lips and behaving with absolutely perfect manners to whoever approached her. She smiled to those who smiled at her, responded in a clear, calm voice to questions, and nodded politely to those who caught her gaze. Her head was held high, her chin tilted upwards, her whole body language formal, reserved, but not stiff. Perhaps the most curious thing was her eyes; for while her lips curled and laughter escaped her throat, those emerald eyes did not smile. Instead, they were detached, distant—almost cold.

A paradox.

When she noticed him, she beamed and spoke, her voice too low for anyone but him to hear: "My gown itches."

"Looks nice with your heels."

"My heels _also_ itch," she muttered under her breath, still smiling like nothing was wrong, "Sai, I am not enjoying this at all!"

"I believe you're not supposed to enjoy it," he retorted dryly, "Besides, you're putting on a good show. As you should be."

She sighed. "Right."

The Miyazawa's Annual Ball was a get-together event for everyone involved in one way or another with the company, from the entry-level employees to the board of directors to the clients and pretty much everyone else. Its purpose was simple—to show how amiable the Miyazawas _could_ be—and it was pretty much like any other celebratory ball, with expensive wine and beautiful decor. Tonight, however, was also the night Akihito chose to introduce her—officially—to the public, at the start of the event, as 'a long-lost Miyazawa who has finally been found'. Even though Akihito had stated that questions were to be raised at a scheduled press conference in the near future, it did not help the sea of reporters and journalists crowding the room, all with eyes and ears surrounding her.

Along with the knowledge that Sasuke might be here tonight, it did not calm her nerves.

So Sakura stood there, fighting to keep her calm with a glass of wine in her hand, surveying the room. She behaved as expected: charmingly polite without being overly friendly or warm. She was getting good at that, what with the practice she had at the monthly dinner several days ago. As Akihito had plainly put it, it would get increasingly hard to distinguish between the artificial and the natural after a few more months with Ougi and living as a Miyazawa.

Accepting the name had been the first part of the bargain. The process was slow, and a lot of legal matter was put into it. It warranted more trouble than not, really, but she could use the time to adapt.

As for the second part of the bargain… she still didn't know what to make of it. She should have seen _that_ coming, really, but she had been too absorbed in other matters that she completely overlooked _that_ possibility. Now it was staring at her in the eye and she had to decide. Soon, but not tonight, thankfully.

"Smile."

At Sai's warning, Sakura realized she had been frowning. Automatically she rearranged her facial features, her lips forming yet another small smile, the crease between her brows smoothing like there had never been one before. She accepted Sai's arm as he pulled her closer to him, his arm circling her waist.

"Wha—?"

"_Smile_."

Sakura did as told, letting her gaze wander around the room as she pressed into his side reflexively.

And then, of course, she saw him.

xx

Sasuke swallowed.

She looked beautiful. Almost serene. And so… so _indifferent_.

It was so unfitting, so _wrong_—yet ironically, it suited her in a morbid, twisted way. Sai's arm was around her and she was pressed against him, and Sasuke could almost see the barrier Sai put between them and the rest of the world. She was smiling now, nodding at him as they spoke to each other. Sasuke was too far away to read their lips, but any bystander would come to the conclusion that they were a couple, given the comfortable, relaxed atmosphere the two radiated and how close they were standing to each other. Worst of all, she seemed like she didn't mind, even rather _accepted_ his protection...

Like she belonged right there, in his embrace.

_And not here with me_, a part of him—his head? His _heart_?—whispered mockingly, traitorously.

His eyes narrowed to slits. It was silly, of course, considering the current state of their relationship and how little he knew of her world right now.

"Drink, Sasuke?"

Sasuke accepted the glass from Naruto and gulped down the content. The strong, almost bitter taste was a welcome distraction, although he still couldn't take his eyes off her.

"So who's the guy she's standing with?"

"Arakaki Sai," Sasuke answered stiffly. "Her ex-boyfriend."

"Really," amusement laced Naruto's voice, "Her ex, huh? They seem to have a very… friendly relationship. Almost romantic." A part of him wanted to laugh when Sasuke glowered but he held it in, knowing that there were still buttons to be pushed. "How did that happen?"

Grudgingly, Sasuke admitted, "I don't know."

"Well," Naruto began, a dismissive air to his face, "You'd know if you ask her. Now, maybe?"

The crazy part of Sasuke's brain agreed, loudly, to Naruto's suggestion. The saner part countered that if he approached her tactlessly, chances were he'd never actually get his point across. And boy, did he have a lot of points to make, tonight.

He set his glass down on the table. "Maybe."

xx

He was staring at her.

It was impossible to miss, really, with the intensity his eyes held. The same eyes that had crinkled with amusement whenever she made a joke, the same eyes that were filled with mischief when they teased around, the same eyes that were locked on her face this exact moment, even as she moved into Sai's arms and he led her to the dance floor…

The same eyes, she realised with irony, that had _burned_ in hatred several days ago.

Only one thing was clear: if Sasuke were here, that'd mean Akihito really did as she asked and was now waiting for her to hold up her part of the bargain.

Her face crumpled in dismay, and her eyes focused on the man who was holding her.

"Sai," she whispered, "What do you think Akihito-san wants from me? He couldn't have only wanted me to change my name, could he?"

The man looked at her, mild amusement flitting across his face, "Have you been thinking about this the whole time?

"I—I kind of have to," she murmured, slightly defensive, a pretty blush on her cheeks, "I mean, I don't know what to expect, like... will he get me a work contract? Deduce fifty percent of my salary?"

"Sakura," Sai sighed, "you forgot it's Miyazawa Akihito you're dealing with. He doesn't need any more money than he has now."

"That doesn't mean that he doesn't _want_ it. I just—"

"There is simply no point to think about it now," he told her calmly. "We'll talk about this later."

She smiled weakly. "Okay."

"Good," he said, "Because here comes Uchiha Sasuke."

Sakura twirled—it was her time to—and quickly spun back into Sai's arms, her face turning as white as sheets and eyes widening in alarm. Sasuke was indeed crossing the dance floor with a determined look on his face, his eyes glued on them.

In an act of desperation, she clutched Sai's shoulder, plea in her eyes. "Stay with me."

"I will."

Sasuke was in front of her in no more than three seconds.

"Sakura," Sasuke said, and then, a little reluctantly, added, "Sai."

"Ah, Sasuke," Sai returned languidly, slowing down although he did not let her go, his arms tightening around her waist. "I did not realise we were on a first-name basis."

"Times have changed," Sasuke returned stiffly, and then turned to the woman wrapped in Sai's arm. "Sakura…"

"Hello," she smiled, but the warmth did not reach her eyes, "I didn't expect to see you here tonight. Welcome. How are you enjoying the wine? They imported it especially from… where was it, Sai?"

"Côte de Nuits," Sai supplied breezily.

"Ah, right, Côte de Nuits!" she waved her hand and laughed airily, "Silly me."

Sasuke's throat tightened. He hadn't expected this. He'd expected her to hit him, maybe. Slap him, kick him, punch him, maybe even yell profanities at his face. Those things he knew he deserved and was more than prepared to take. But this...

"Anyway, I heard from my grandfather that the transaction didn't happen," Sakura continued smoothly. Shaking her head, her expression turned to that of pity. "Such a shame. The Uchiha's would have been really great under our company."

"Sakura..."

"Yes?"

"Why…" he paused, hesitated, "Why are you acting like this?"

The corners of her lips tightened. "Why am I acting like what?"

"Like… you're not yourself," Sasuke replied, almost tentative.

_Like you're a Miyazawa. Like I was right… except I don't want to be right. I want to be _wrong_, just about this. _

But she knew him too well.

"Like I'm a Miyazawa?" she guessed, "That's because I _am_ one. You were right about everything, but... I can see now that you didn't quite expect that, did you?" Pity filled her eyes. "Oh, Sasuke."

Her voice was neutral. Detached. It wasn't cold, but it was indifferent, taciturn. Distant. It wasn't _Sakura_, he realized with a pang. Sakura's voice was supposed to be warm, friendly, _Sakura_. And hell, she wasn't supposed to look at him like that. She wasn't supposed to look at him as if whatever they had was purely business, as if she didn't know him past that, as if whatever had happened between them was over and done with. She was supposed to be… Sakura. Warm. Innocent. _Not like this._ She was supposed to… no.

No. _No._

"I—I need to talk to you." Automatically he reached out for her hand.

"No!"

Sasuke's eyes shook in surprise as she jerked her arm away from him, violently, as if his touch hurt, as if it burned.

Sakura, too, was surprised at how cold she'd sounded. More than that, though, she was surprised at how she felt when his fingers brushed her skin. It only took her a second to figure out the unpleasant knots that tightened and twisted the pit of her stomach.

It was too soon. Too painful. Looking at him brought back events of when they last met, and for a moment, that was all she could think of. The words he'd called her to her face. How his eyes had brimmed with hatred and disgust. How his voice had been razor blade sharp. How much distrust he showed her, and…

And oh, how it _hurt. _

She stared at his hand, and then dragged her gaze up to his face, repeating softly and more calmly: "No."

To her own disbelief, a sliver of hurt flashed in his eyes, so intense, so _raw_ that for a second she forgot how to breathe.

"I need to talk to you," Sasuke repeated after he regained his composure, and his gaze implored her, "Privately."

"Anything you want to say to me, Sai can hear it, too," she returned with restored calm, "Sasuke-_san_."

The honorific struck him more than his name on her lips did, because with that she set him on his place—which was not next to her, in front of her, or anywhere near her. If he was Uchiha Sasuke and she was Miyazawa Sakura, then that would only mean one thing: their relationship was non-existent. They weren't even acquaintances, let alone friends.

They were nothing.

_He_ was nothing_. _

_This is what you did to her, you fucking bastard, _a voice mocked from the back of his head, and with a sinking feeling he acknowledged his own voice, _this is what _you_ did to her. This is all _your_ fault, you scum. It's a miracle she's even still here, after what you did to her. That she doesn't run at the sight of you. That she can still smile and be all cordial. And who do you blame? Yourself. You did this to her. It was you, it was all _you. _Are you happy now?_

He looked up, and suddenly Sai was stepping in between them, gently wrapping an arm around her shoulder. Sasuke's heart sank even more when he realised she did not deny the protection.

"Sakura," he croaked, voice gravelly and almost beseeching, almost desperate, "Sakura, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. Just… can we talk? I've been—been so fucking stupid, and I need… to talk to you. I don't… I… just give me a few moments. Hear me out for five minutes. Five minutes, that's all I'm asking, Sakura—please—"

She stiffened slightly, her gaze dropping to the grip he had on her wrist. He cursed inwardly—he hadn't realized he'd reach for her again—and quickly let her go. His grip must have been too tight for there were red lines marring her white skin where he had held her.

And then she shook her head, lips pressed tightly as she brought her hands to her chest, almost looking protective of them.

His heart sank. "Sakura—"

"Sasuke."

He stopped.

Her lips curved into a small, sad smile. "What else is there to talk about?"

He opened his mouth, but she just shook her head at him, and she looked so broken that his heart ached like he had been smashed into smithereens.

Sai tightened his hold on her, stepping protectively in front of her now, and stared Sasuke down. "I don't think she wants to talk to you, Sasuke-san." His voice was unnaturally pleasant as he spoke, though the gleam in his eyes said otherwise. "Perhaps you should leave."

"I just…" Sasuke faltered, stopped. His heart constricted though he backed away. "I…" he hesitated, looking clearly anguished. "I'm sorry." The words tumbled out of his mouth before he even realised they were floating in his mind. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."

He turned on his heel and then disappeared into the crowd.

xx

Sai did not like where this was going.

In his arms was the woman he used to love, the woman who used to be after his own heart, the woman who he had wanted to protect with his life—and still did, even now, even when things were different, even when they weren't who they were anymore, especially when they weren't who they were anymore.

Because this Sakura was not the Sakura he knew. Not even close.

"Sakura."

Slowly, the pink-haired woman lifted her gaze to his face, meeting his eyes unflinchingly. There was an unnerving calm in the air about her, a stark contrast to her expression merely a few seconds ago. She was smiling, but it wasn't _Sakura_'s smile. Heck, she was smiling but it wasn't a _smile_—he didn't even know how that was possible.

"What were you thinking?" he asked.

"Clearly, I wasn't," she returned, "But that's okay. It's over and done with."

"Don't lie."

"I'm not lying." As if to prove a point, she smiled at him again, sunny and bright.

Sai narrowed his eyes. "Don't smile like that," he said, "It doesn't suit you."

The smile disappeared as she leaned into him, his arms circling around her waist almost reflexively, instinctively.

"I'm sorry," she whispered into his shoulder, "I'm so, so sorry."

Sai laughed dryly. "Sorry for what?"

"Everything." Her voice was muffled. "For being pathetic. For smiling so stupidly. For… not being strong enough. I just—" she choked, and he tightened his hold on her, "I see him and I fall apart. That's stupid. That's _pathetic_," she laughed, and as she pulled away, still in his embrace, her face was suddenly cheerful again, "I'm not ready to see him, but that's okay. It's over and done with. In fact, I think I'm almost over him. I haven't thought about him that much—"

"Sakura, you don't have to lie."

"But—"

"You don't have to lie," he repeated, "Not to me. You can't lie to me, anyway. And you can't really lie to him, either. You're a terrible liar, Sakura. Don't even try."

Sakura stiffened for a second, but then her lips curled sadly. "That's right," she laughed, almost bitter, "You always have me all figured out, don't you? I can never lie to you. Not then, not now… not ever, maybe."

"You don't need to lie," Sai told her, more softly this time, "Not to me."

And then he held her and started moving his feet, hands dropping to her waist, comforting her with the only way he knew how to. In response, she linked her arms behind his neck and clung to him as closely as she could, face still buried in his shoulder, following his movements in a slow dance routine.

"I know," she whispered, "I know."

They stayed like that for a very, very long time.

xx

Somewhere at the corner of the room, holding a wine of glass and smirking to himself at the scene unfolding in front of him, Akihito felt very, very pleased.

Sakura and Sai were in what seemed to be a very intimate embrace, clinging to each other as they slow-danced. More importantly, reporters were flocking around them like a hawk but they were too deep in their own world to even notice! Things were going _exactly_ the way he wanted them to, and he couldn't be happier.

This, Akihito decided, was very easy. Too easy.

Suddenly, Yukina's fingers around his arm tightened, breaking him out of his reverie.

"Yukina, what—"

"Akihito," she cut him off abruptly, looking almost frightened as she peered to the direction of the gigantic entrance of the hall, "Tell me... are my eyes deceiving me?"

Confused, he followed her gaze wordlessly.

Standing below the silver archway was a woman in the most vivid turquoise dress, her flaming red hair adorned with the prettiest piece of barrette, her viridian green eyes sweeping the whole room with quelled interest. There was a certain kind of elegance in the way she held herself, a little playful secret in her eyes. When she started walking, her gait was slow but graceful, even as she turned to beckon at the man escorting her. She looked around the hall searchingly before her eyes finally found Akihito's, and a very quiet, guarded smile curved her lips as dark green met dark green.

Akihito's glass dropped with a soft thud, and the red wine spread like blood, making a huge, ugly stain on the carpet.

.

.

.

**tbc.**

* * *

**a/n:** 1) Côte de Nuits is a French wine region popular for its brands of very expensive wines.

2) If any of you were the ones who have left me sweet messages on my Tumblr, thank you very, very much. You are much too sweet and I really don't deserve such kindness. ;A; *sends you all my love and hugs*

3) Until next weekend, beautiful people! I HOPE YOU ENJOYED THIS CHAPTER. *prances away into the sunset*


	26. xxvi

**a/n:** For **Ashcakes** or **deliriousnight**, who is just so amazing and sweet and supportive and perfect. I LOVE YOU DARLING.

* * *

**twenty-six.**

.

.

.

This was Miyazawa Honoka.

Strong, graceful Miyazawa Honoka, daughter of Miyazawa Akihito and once the heiress of the most influential company in Japan. Fiercely beautiful like fire, the liquid grace in her gait could only have been natural. Her expression was serene, but there was a certain hardness to her jaw that still did not betray the poise in the air around her.

This was Miyazawa Honoka after thirty years of shying away from the public eye, after thirty years of vanishing acts where nobody knew where she went, where nobody knew if she was even still alive, after thirty years of running away…

And she was back.

There was a slightly noticeable pregnant pause in the crowd as her cool gaze swept the room lightly, a smile playing on her face as a man offered his arm to her and she took it, gliding across the carpeted floor with practiced calm. Nobody remembered—or maybe even knew—who, exactly, this woman was, but her presence alone, the way she held herself, the way she walked, the way she _breathed_—was enough to tell them that this was a woman of significance, of importance—this woman was _someone_.

But who?

Untroubled by the wondering stares and hushed whispers that floated around her, she let the man guide her across the floor to meet Miyazawa Akihito and his wife.

"Good evening," Honoka spoke, voice golden and soft, "It has been a very, very long time."

Looking as if she was in a daze, Yukina raised her hand to touch her daughter's cheek, almost as if checking if she was real or only an illusion. "Honoka…" she whispered in muted disbelief, "Manabe… what are you…?"

Green eyes gleamed brightly under the lighting. "Mother," Honoka murmured, her voice an undertone as she turned towards Akihito, "Father."

Akihito sputtered, taken by surprise as he drank in the sight of his daughter after three decades without her. Thirty long years, and she hadn't changed—older, yes, wiser even, but the air about her was the same. The playful smile on her face, the light in her eyes, the strong line of her jaw… she was still Honoka.

His daughter, Honoka.

_His daughter. _

Suddenly lightheaded, he gripped his wife's hand, only to feel her squeeze weakly back. The two stood, completely speechless, as reporters began to gather around them and cameras started going off and notepads and pens were produced. Through the commotion, Honoka just smiled solemnly, holding her composure, as Manabe stared the reporters down and one by one they backed away, almost as if they were scared of him, a frosty look in his greyish blue eyes.

He was a master of this and he held his calm with a certain placidness that told this glimmering world he belonged here, in high society, and Akihito had to admit that he actually did. The Harunos were honourable before they fell from grace, after all, one of the best.

"Akihito-san," Manabe's voice was calm, controlled, and his gaze was even more so, "Yukina-san. It has been a long time."

"We should…" Yukina looked as if she were about to choke, "We should talk somewhere else."

"If you please," Honoka agreed, nodding.

They were escorted into a private meeting room by the Hyuuga's hotel manager along with Sakura and Sai, who had been summoned a moment ago. When the door closed behind them and privacy was assured, Sakura immediately ran to her parents' side.

"Mum! Dad! What are you doing here?" the pink-haired woman asked, downright confused and surprised, "I thought you wanted to—"

"Sakura," Honoka interrupted softly, covering her daughter's fingers with her own, her voice hushed and her gaze tender, "It's okay," she lifted her gaze to the man standing behind Sakura, the light in her eyes full of mild gratitude, "I know what you want to do, and I'm not letting you do it for my sake. I can't let my daughter take the burden for what _I_ have done wrong."

Alarmed, the pink-haired woman turned her head to Sai, "Did you—?"

"It's okay," Manabe interrupted her this time, also taking her hand in his, "It's okay. We're here."

After throwing a desperate gaze at Akihito and Yukina, who had taken a seat in the sofa across of theirs, Sakura finally nodded and straightened up, drawing back to Sai's side with shoulders hunched. She chewed on her bottom lip nervously, her heart thumping with dread and trepidation.

In stark contrast to her daughter, Honoka was the perfect image of quietude, her expression controlled and placid, her legs crossed and her husband's arm around her slender frame in a protective gesture. When Manabe squeezed her fingers warmly, she turned to look at her birth parents one by one, a perfectly serene smile on her lips.

Unexpectedly, Akihito was the first one to break the daunting silence.

"Honoka," his voice shook slightly, but his gaze stayed indifferent, "Manabe."

Honoka's green eyes glimmered. "How have you been, Father?" she asked softly. It was the first time she directed her whole attention to him.

This time, Akihito's voice croaked a little, a slight chip on his normally expressionless face. "Good," he replied, "I've been good."

"That's wonderful," she murmured, her eyes glittering, "That's absolutely wonderful. I'm glad."

"How…" his breath hitched, "How have _you _been?"

At the question, Honoka shared a tender look with her husband. "Manabe has been taking very good care of me," she said fondly but firmly, "He is a great husband and a wonderful father—" at her assertion, Akihito winced a little, but she pretended to not notice and continued anyway, "—and there is no way, _no way_ at all, I could have done this, I could have been here, if not for him."

Akihito's voice was raspy when he spoke. "I—I chased you away, Honoka."

"Yes, Father," Honoka agreed, "but I also did not fight my best, I simply left. It was a cowardly move, and if there's anything in the world that I regret, it's not being brave enough to fight—_really_ fight—for the man I love and for the family I wanted us to have, the family you did not want us to have," she glanced at Sakura affectionately, reaching out for her daughter's hand, "the family I have now."

Beside him, Yukina's hands were shaking, "But you came back."

"No," green eyes softened, but they were apologetic, almost rueful, "I did not come for myself tonight. Not completely. I came here to ask you… to let Sakura go."

"B-but—"

"Mother," Honoka interrupted, though her voice was gentle, "Of all the things I've learned out there, I learned that first and foremost of all, I am blessed with wonderful people in my life. You and Father… but Manabe and Sakura, too," she smiled briefly and glanced at her husband lovingly, "Manabe was the one who taught me that… when you love someone, you'd do anything in your power to make them happy, so…" she took a deep breath and then moved her feet to stand, kneeling down on the carpet next to her parents, head bowed. "I'm sorry," her voice was barely audible, "that I wasn't strong enough to make you two happy. I'm sorry that I was selfish in getting what I wanted and I hurt you in the process."

Yukina's eyes glistened with tears, reaching for her daughter's hand, "Honoka—"

"I'm sorry I left," she whispered, "and I'm sorry I did not dare to come back sooner."

With that one line, Sakura watched, almost breathlessly and dazedly, as the almighty Miyazawa Akihito crumble in front of his daughter, the one daughter he hadn't seen in three decades with very, very little to nonexistent contact, the one daughter he loved, before.

The one daughter he never stopped loving, not even once in his life, not even for a second, not ever_. _

His voice broke. "Honoka…"

At the sound of her name, Honoka raised her head, almost tentative. "Father?"

Akihito stared, green eyes clouded with so many unidentifiable emotions.

Honoka glanced at her husband, insecure, hesitant, but Manabe just nodded in response, lips curving, bright blue eyes shining with warmth and encouragement.

"Manabe…" she began, cleared her throat, and then spoke once more, voice growing stronger with each syllable, "Manabe is the man I want to spend the rest of my life with, Father. I can't just… I didn't want to have to choose. I didn't want to have to leave, but I… I love him, you know?" her eyes shook, "I love him. I love him with the kind of love that makes me want to be with him no matter what it takes. And I know he feels the same way. Father, we… we did not plan to be away for such a long time. Just one or two months until you were ready to accept us. We… we sent mails to you, but you just… never responded. I thought it was over, but Manabe… Manabe helped me stay strong. Manabe kept me going. He helped me _try _for he knows me best, and he knows I will regret it if I stop…"

Akihito's breath hitched.

Honoka looked at her husband, and there was so much love in her eyes that for that single second, it almost seemed like they were the only two who existed in the world, even as she continued softly: "And I would be nothing without him. _Nothing_."

"The… the flowers, the cakes, anonymously sent," Akihito began shakily, "Were… were they from you?"

"Yes."

"Your mother thought so. She said you have a special way of baking, of flower-arranging, so she never questioned them." Akihito glanced at his wife, who looked down on her lap, her hands trembling. "She brought them in even though they could well be poisoned. Yet your mother believed it was you, and I… I never touched them." His voice turned faint, muted. "Not even once."

Honoka smiled. "There has not been a day in my life in which I didn't think about you, Father."

"There…" Akihito's lips trembled. "There hasn't been a day in which _I_ didn't think about _you_."

And then the most incredible thing happened.

The lines on Akihito's face smoothened, the perpetual crease between his brows dissolving as he reached for his daughter—_his daughter_—cradling her face between his wrinkled hands, his strong hands, and his thumb brushed over her cheek, wiping the teardrops she did not know were trickling from her eyes. The expression on his face was one of wonder, of doubt, of disbelief, of regret and uncertainty and hesitation and unease and insecurity and fatigue and so many other things all at once that he just sat there, holding his daughter—_his daughter_—in a daze, like everything in the world had faded except him and her, like nothing else mattered but his daughter.

_His daughter_.

"Come—" he rasped, voice hoarse and almost pleading, almost beseeching, almost _desperate_, "Come home, Honoka. Come home. Take Manabe and Sakura with you. Take whoever, whatever you want. Take the whole world with you. I don't care—" when she opened her mouth, he shook his head, words pouring out of his mouth, "—I don't care if everyone thinks I'm a nutcase. I don't care what we'll say to the reporters, to the public. They're not _you_. They don't matter. And you—" he paused, drew in a sharp, shaky breath, "You're my daughter, and I want you—I want you to come home. I need you to come home."

"R-really?"

"I… I shouldn't have chased you out," Akihito returned, "I shouldn't have… needed anything from you, wanted anything from you, as long as you're here. With me. And as long as you're happy."

He loved her, Sakura realized, her heart constricting painfully in her chest. He loved her. More than anything in the world. More than anyone in the world. She was his daughter, his _only_ daughter, and he loved her.

He really, really, really loved her.

What was it like, the pink-haired woman wondered, almost morbidly, to have your own daughter reject you, run away from you, escape you when you only wished for her best? What was it like to make one—_one_—mistake and suddenly see it change so many things? What was it like to love someone more than you loved your own life, and then finding out that it wasn't enough to keep them with you?

What was it like to live with that kind of pain, knowing that it was something you did—or didn't do—and that you could have done something to change it, but you didn't?

No wonder he was so cold. So harsh, so unfeeling. So… so _incomplete_.

All this time, Sakura thought he chased Honoka away, selfishly, shamelessly pegging him as the cruel, heartless one for abandoning his own daughter, for leaving her, for betraying her. All this time, she thought her mother was the only one with all the regret and guilt in the world. All this time, she thought he lived without any burden, dismissing his one and only daughter as unimportant because she didn't do as he wished.

But she was wrong.

She was unimaginably, unthinkably, unbelievably _wrong_.

In truth, when a relationship was broken… both sides were affected, no matter who they were. One might hurt more than the other, one might feel less impact than the other, but both sides were affected. A relationship—a _real_ relationship—was two-way, after all. It wouldn't be a relationship if only one side were holding on.

It wouldn't be _real_.

"Manabe." The name slid out of Akihito's lips, but this time there wasn't any hesitation to it at all. "Thank you for taking care of my daughter. Thank you for being there for her—with her. Thank you…" He raised one hand to beckon Sakura's father to come closer. When the latter obeyed and came to him, he took his hand, and put it on top of Honoka's, resting his own above the lovers' intertwined fingers. "Thank you for loving her."

Manabe's blue eyes were gentle as he grasped his father-in-law's hand for the first time in thirty years. "Thank you for letting me."

By this time, Yukina had already sunk to the floor, tears streaming down her cheeks. Akihito joined her soon after, arms enveloping around his wife and his daughter as he pulled them into a tight, tight hug, like all else forgotten, like no one mattered but them, like they were the only people in the world.

Like they would never let go.

xx

All the way across the city, Sasuke tilted his head back and poured vodka down his throat.

He felt like shit. And he must look like one, too, because the bartender kept tossing him pitying looks and passing him shot by shot by shot of vodka, as if drowning in hard liquor would somehow solve all of his problems or at least make them go away for a while. He might as well get blind drunk.

Sasuke lifted the glass off the table, holding the rim to his lips and tilting the glass so the slightly thick liquid slid into his mouth, the back of his throat burning with the taste.

His phone was screaming. Naruto must be going absolutely _crazy_ after realizing that he was ditched. Almost disturbingly, Sasuke considered dumping his phone into his glass—at least no one would be bothering him then—but he finally decided to just put it on silent. Retrieving it from his pocket, he glanced at the screen—seventeen miscalls—and then proceeded to mute it. He'd deal with Naruto tomorrow, when he felt sane enough. Strong enough.

After Sakura's clear refusal to talk to him, it was like he completely shut down and all he could process were simple orders.

_Go away. Get out of here. Find a bar far, far away. Drink. Drink more. Drink again. _

He was cursed. He was undeniably, damnably, maddeningly _cursed. _

_Drink. _

His company wasn't in shambles anymore. His position as a CEO was more indisputable than ever. But yet the one thing he ever _really_ wanted was the one thing he might never get, no matter how hard he tried.

_Drink. _

Really, he had been _so_ stupid. How on earth did he get the impression that she might forgive him, even for a second? How did he let himself believe that everything might turn out alright? How had he been so—so—

_Drink._

… foolish?

_Drink. Drink. Drink. _

"Sir?"

When he looked up, a female barmaid in her early twenties stood behind the bar. She was small and petite, her face frustratingly blissful, and 'Yori' was emblazoned in gold on the nametag she wore over her breast pocket.

"Bad night?" she asked sympathetically.

Sasuke glared. He was not in the mood for a conversation. "What do you want?"

Yori smiled brightly, undeterred by his unfriendly reaction. "It's time for our last call, sir," she told him, "Is there anything else you might want?"

Surprised at her announcement, he glanced at the Rolex on his wrist. It was almost two AM. He hadn't realized he'd spent that much time drinking, although he acknowledged the increasingly persistent pounding in his head. But now…

"Another shot," Sasuke pushed his empty glass over the counter, "and one Bloody Mary."

"Of course." She nodded and went away, coming back a few moments after with his orders. Giving him one last smile after receiving his payment, she disappeared to tend to the other customers.

Sasuke eyed the two drinks sitting in front of him, picking up his vodka and swigging it. The Bloody Mary he took his time with, recalling how much Sakura insisted it was her favourite cocktail. This was served on the rocks, poured over ice, garnished with celery sticks and lemon dashes. Slowly, he lifted the glass to his lips and sipped, savouring the acquired taste as he watched customers one by one depart from the bar until he was the only one left there.

"Sir?"

This time, it was a male bartender. He looked slightly uncomfortable.

"I'm going, I'm going," Sasuke told him, picking up his black silk jacket. When he got up, his head thumped furiously and he toppled backwards, only to support himself on the barstool he was sitting on. A string of curses slipping out of his lips, he made his way out of the bar with some difficulty and found his car, slumping himself on the driver's seat as he fished out his phone.

He might be foolish enough to let someone like Sakura get away, but at least he wasn't nearly careless enough to drive when he was drunk.

xx

When his phone gave a shrill, loud cry, Naruto jumped from his bed, making a grab in the darkness for the gadget.

"Sasuke," he mumbled into the receiver, "Sasuke, you bastard, you ditched me!"

"Come get me."

The static crackled, but Naruto heard him.

"Come get me," Sasuke ordered again, this time sounding harsher, "Come, you little piece of—"

Naruto sat up and rubbed his eyes. "Sasuke, are you _drunk_?"

"Not drunk enough," was the mumbled reply, "Not nearly drunk enough."

"What the hell happened?" Naruto asked, climbing out of his bed, already slipping out of his favourite orange sweatpants. For Sasuke to drink so irresponsibly meant that something exceptionally nasty happened, and he could only think that this had something to do with Sakura, especially after his abrupt exit from the Miyazawa's annual ball. He also wasn't going to let his best friend suffer by himself. "Where are you?"

"I—I fucked up." There was a bitter, sarcastic laugh. "I asked, fuck, but she wouldn't talk to me no matter what I said. She wouldn't even—" he hiccupped, "—wouldn't even give me a _chance_—"

Naruto was confused, but he scrambled for his pants. "What?"

"She just stood there and _looked_ at me, like I'm—some kind of _jerk_, asshole… and maybe I am, I don't know, I can't think, I'm so confused and so dizzy…"

"Sasuke, where are you?" Naruto repeated, more urgently, "I'll come get you."

"I'm at…" There was a pause, "I'm at that bar we saw near Kiba's central automobile repair shop. Come get me."

"Stay put, I'm coming."

"Bring some vodka," Sasuke suddenly said.

Naruto picked up his keys from the table, jiggling it between his fingers as he made his way out of his bedroom, "You're already drunk."

"Not drunk enough," Sasuke countered, for a moment sounding like his sober self.

Defeated, Naruto sighed. "Alright," he conceded, "Give me twenty minutes," he detoured to his fridge and grabbed a bottle of vodka from the door, "Actually, make that ten. Don't go any—"

There was a loud thud.

Naruto froze. "Sasuke, can you hear me?"

Only static responded to him, crackling like wildfire, and he felt an uneasy shiver running down his spine.

"Sasuke?"

The line went dead.

"Crap," Naruto cursed, and then immediately rushed out.

.

.

.

**tbc.**

* * *

**a/n: **A lot of you may feel surprised or disappointed (or not) that Honoka so easily surrendered to Akihito and apologised. However, let me remind you that she's Asian (Japanese, to be precise, and from a traditional, patriarchal family, too) and was raised with the doctrine that absolute respect for the elders is one of the most important things to have, some kind of a must. Such doctrines are quite pervasive in Asian cultures—I personally am raised with that kind of thinking, too, although I confess that I don't necessarily always follow it myself. Do keep that in mind and thanks for your understanding! :D

That said, thanks for reading. I certainly hope this chapter was to your liking. Have a lovely weekend, you all! :D


	27. xxvii

**twenty-seven.**

.

.

.

Poached eggs on crisp sliced toasts, freshly squeezed orange juice, and expensive-looking silverware decorated the large wooden table. A few days ago, Sakura wouldn't even dream of having a proper breakfast, but today she found herself sitting in the Miyazawa's large dining room, being served as one.

She didn't expect that things would change this quickly. God, Honoka's reunion with her family was only last night, and now she was with Yukina in her old bedroom, leaving Sakura alone with Akihito to have a 'nice, pleasant breakfast' together.

Truth be told, Sakura wasn't exactly chummy with Akihito. Far from it. The last time she'd been with him, just the two of them, was when he told her to change her name from Haruno to Miyazawa. She certainly didn't expect that she would be having a 'nice, pleasant breakfast' with him. Quite the contrary, she just wanted to disappear right this very moment. It was getting too awkward.

_What am I supposed to do? What am I supposed to _say_? _

Thankfully, Akihito was the one to break the numbing, uncomfortable silence.

"There is something I want to talk to you about," he spoke, "and it involves your status."

Half-relieved, half-anxious, Sakura swallowed. "Okay...?"

"First of all, regarding your name," he began, "I have decided to let you keep it. You were born a Haruno, and you can keep being a Haruno for as long as you want to. I believe that you find this to your liking?"

Relief flooded her face. "Yes, thank you."

The Miyazawa's CEO turned to her, looking businesslike, except the tension that usually hung in the air around him had slightly dissipated. "However, that doesn't mean that you are not a Miyazawa. I have announced that you are one, and following today, you _will_ be regarded as one in the public's eye."

Sakura nodded.

"Secondly, anticipate reporters and journalists at the office today. Honoka will come with you and any and all questions asked, tell them that everything can be answered at our press conference," he looked up at her this time, "I do not mean to push you or Honoka, but the longer you shy away from the media, the worse it gets, so it's better that you just go forth and face it."

"Makes sense," Sakura agreed, "What else?"

"Thirdly," he looked at her, his face unreadable, "how do you feel about a marriage to Sai?"

At the unexpected inquiry, Sakura blinked. "Marriage?" she echoed blankly, the smile disappearing from her face, replaced by a look of utter confusion, "To Sai?"

"Sai is a close, trusted family friend and he's a very reasonable choice," Akihito explained, sounding matter-of-fact, "He's well-equipped in the business world and he has proven himself capable of expanding and taking care of business empires such as the Miyazawa's. He's worked for me twice before and he is very competent. It is only natural that you marry someone as accomplished as he is."

"I… I suppose," Sakura conceded, though her eyes widened in surprise, "but, uh, _marriage_?"

He looked at her. "You are good friends with Sai, are you not?"

With all the time they spent together lately, and with him being so helpful to her over the past few weeks, she supposed _yes_, they were really good friends. But that didn't mean they would—or should—get married! Her feelings for Sai weren't like that anymore, and his feelings for her, bless his heart, were also platonic.

"I just don't think that particular marriage is for us," she admitted, "_or_ for me."

Akihito was quiet for a while as he lifted his juice off the polished table surface, before finally looking at his granddaughter. She had yet to call him correctly, but to all intents and purposes, he knew that she wasn't an idiot. Quite the contrary, she was smart. He did not want to ruin what fragile relationship they had and destroy any semblance of kindness he had shown her, but as the head of the Miyazawas, he needed to do what he needed to do, and to do that, he needed her to understand.

"This is not what I want for you, as well, at least not now," he said, looking slightly uncomfortable, "but I need someone reliable, someone trustworthy, to take my place as soon as possible."

"Take your place? Why?"

He almost smiled. Almost. "I'm not getting any younger, Sakura. How old do you think I am?"

Wisely, she chose not to answer the question, instead choosing to stare determinedly at her almost empty plate.

Akihito laughed quietly at that. "I want to retire," he said, "but for me to do so comfortably I need someone to take care of the Miyazawa's for me, someone who can do more for the company than what have been done. Your father is one such candidate, but he doesn't seem to be willing."

Sakura nodded at this. Manabe did not like playing big, and leading a business empire such as the Miyazawa's was not something he would like to do. He might have been raised for that, but ever since he left, he discovered things that he'd rather like to do, such as helping small businesses grow and then selling them. Becoming a business tycoon did not suit him well.

"Now, I have confidence that if Sai were to inherit a place in the company along with Suigetsu," Akihito continued prosaically, "I can finally believe that the Miyazawa's is in good hands, and retire with peace."

"I understand," she smiled weakly, and she really did. Akihito had headed the Miyazawas for two generations—his own and his children's—and he was not enthusiastic about doing that for the third time. He must have done it for over fifty years, and perhaps he did not find it as enticing as it used to be. "But I just don't know if… _my_ marriage to Sai is the answer to it. Suigetsu will do a good job, I'm sure."

"Oh, I have no doubt that he will," the Miyazawa agreed, "His business instincts are top-notch and with Karin by his side, he will be one of our best. However, Suigetsu lacks the major thing the head of any company requires. He is reckless, often impulsive in making decisions. It will take him years to mature. But what he lacks, someone like Sai can make up for."

Of course.

Sai was sensible and level headed almost to the point of being exceptionally prudent. His intelligence was not to be questioned, as well, having graduated the top of his class no matter where he went. Plus he owned a number of very successful business enterprises, the bar being one of them, and he had proven to be a remarkable leader.

Spoken like that, it made perfectsense. Even Sakura couldn't deny it.

"Does Sai even know what you're considering?" she asked.

"I have asked him to think about it."

Her eyes widened. "That's not the same as agreeing!"

"No," Akihito allowed after a few seconds, "It's not. But Sai understands my perspective. Unless… you would prefer somebody else?" he offered, scrutinizing his granddaughter quietly, solemnly.

Sakura stared at him. "What do you mean?"

"Somebody else like… Uchiha Sasuke, perhaps?" Akihito tossed the name out carelessly, lightly, arching a perfectly smooth eyebrow at her. She was looking at him, open-mouthed, a frown marring her pretty face.

He shifted in his seat and gauged her reaction. He wasn't stupid. Whatever relationship Sasuke and Sakura had, it must have been something. He wasn't sure what it was, exactly, but if it pushed Sakura enough to make some sort of bargain with Akihito, then it must have been quite something.

And judging from his granddaughter's response, it seemed like they hadn't quite made peace yet.

"Of course," he added with nonchalance when the silence had stretched out for too long, "He's one of many. There's still Toushirou Sagi, Matsuda Hiro—"

Unable to stop herself, Sakura finally blurted out, "I'm not—I don't want to get married yet!"

Akihito looked at her. "You are of age, Sakura."

"But marriage isn't the answer!" she argued, her face heating with fervour, "I'm pretty sure that, say, _Karin_ is good enough to lead the company. She doesn't need to be only by Suigetsu's side! She herself is the one you might want, can't you see that? Marriage—" she paused to catch her breath, "—is _not_ the answer!"

"I'm not forcing you into anything," Akihito told her, now looking more amused than anything at her sudden outburst of emotion, "and I won't, I promise. But I believe that regardless of the reason, even your mother herself would feel more comfortable if you find a good husband."

Sakura slumped on her seat, knowing that he was right. Honoka had never been explicit about it, but she knew her mother wanted her to get married. If it was to Sai, all the better.

"There is no rush, Sakura." His voice was awkward, stiff, but not unkind. "Take your time. Just consider the idea. Nothing has to be fixed yet. If you are going to say no, then take your time saying no."

Sakura looked at Akihito—her _grandfather_—and wondered, idly, how someone could change so much over one night. She used to think that he was this cold, ruthless, stone-hearted man, only caring about his business, but that wasn't true. Far from it. It was she who had been prejudiced, horribly so, wrongly so. It was she who had been awful.

And she owed him.

She owed him for letting her keep her name, for doing as she asked and pull out of the deal with the Uchiha's, too.

She owed him greatly, and nothing was going to change that—unless she paid her dues.

With restored composure, she took a deep breath and nodded, reluctantly but firmly enough.

"I'll think about it."

xx

His head was _pounding_.

Sasuke slowly rose from the bed, groaning and putting his palm to his eyes gently. God, it had been such a long time since he had a hangover, he'd forgotten what a _bitch_ it usually was. Opening his eyes gingerly, he blinked a few times, taking in his surroundings. Orange bed sheets. Orange curtains. He was at Naruto's, and the only question was: how did he get here?

Forcing himself to sit up, he pressed his fingers to the back of his neck and tried to recall yesterday's events. Working at the office. Fussing. More fussing. The goddamned, cursed ball. Driving away. Getting senselessly drunk. Calling Naruto. And then… what? He frowned. He must have blacked out because he couldn't remember what else happened.

Moving to his feet, he made his way out of the door and headed for the living room. The TV was on—the second season of _Private Practice_ was showing, from the sounds of it—he could hear the voice even as he stumbled down the hallway. Expecting Naruto, he was surprised when instead, he saw someone else sitting on Naruto's black leather couch, a cup of tea in her left hand and a remote control in the other.

_Ino. _

"Good morning." She smiled, looking up when he entered. "How are you feeling?"

"Hungover," he rasped, surprised at how throaty his voice was.

Her blue eyes glittered, but the curve of her lips was sympathetic. "That's to be expected," she told him, pausing, looking hesitant for a little while, "I… I heard what happened. You drank so much last night and you passed out before Naruto could even get to you."

Choosing to ignore her questioning gaze, Sasuke asked, "Where's Naruto?"

"Off to work."

At her answer, he immediately glanced at the wall clock. It was one PM. He overslept.

Offering him a sympathetic smile, Ino got up to her feet and fetched him a glass of water as he sat down on the sofa. Leaning his head against the sofa as he drank, he sunk into the comfortable cushion and asked for a second one. He hadn't realized how thirty he was.

A comfortable silence drifted into the air as Ino fussed about in the kitchen. She came out a few minutes later with a clear glass of orange juice and several wholemeal toasts and egg on a tray. He opened one eye as she nudged him.

Her smile was gentle but coaxing. "You need to eat."

Sighing, Sasuke straightened and started to eat. She never looked the part, but Ino was an okay cook. She might not have the capability to cook exceptional meals out of simple ingredients, but she could, at least, cook a proper breakfast. A proper, _delicious _breakfast.

"Ino."

"Yes?"

He looked at her, serious all of a sudden. "Maybe we should get married."

Ino blinked. And blinked. And then she burst out _laughing_ so hard for a few minutes straight that by the end of it, her face was red and she was clutching her stomach, her blue eyes glittering with glee. She fought to catch her breath and then stared at him, wiping her tears.

"Of all the times you could have asked me, Sasuke-kun," she gasped with laughter, "does it have to be now?"

Sasuke didn't reply, his eyes narrowed to her face in annoyance.

Another bout of giggles escaped her lips as she reached out to squeeze his hand. "I'm sorry," she spoke softly, earnestly, "but I can't."

"And why not?" he demanded, "You want this."

"No, Sasuke-kun, I did not want this. I _thought_ I wanted this, and even then, not for the right reasons," her eyes softened as she looked at him pensively, though not unkindly, "It's not right. Not for me, and not for you."

He looked at her sharply, piercing gaze studying her intensely. This was _Ino_, his childhood friend, the one woman he ran to when things got awry, his safe way out. If they were to be together, things would be… straightforward. Effortless. Smooth sailing.

"We would be easy."

"But that's the _problem_, isn't it?" Ino asked. "This is not supposed to be easy, Sasuke-kun. How do we know that something is worth fighting for when we never have to fight for it in the first place? Only cowards choose the easy way out. Only cowards run away. I do not," her fingers squeezed his, "want to be a coward anymore. And I have a feeling _you_ don't want to be one, either."

"I'm not—"

"We're both cowards, Sasuke-kun, or at least, we acted like it," she interrupted him, still with that smile on her lips, "I ran away whenever things got bad. I ran away from the problem without giving my all into solving it. _You_ are my escape, but—but I can't have that anymore. I'm not _supposed_ to have that."

His obsidian eyes narrowed, but Sasuke did not speak.

The light in her eyes was subdued, mellow. "Our parents wanted the best for us, Sasuke-kun," she spoke, voice hushed, "and that's why they wanted us to be together. That's why they would immediately approve if we marry each other. Because—because I can't hurt you like Sakura did," he stiffened at this, but she continued, "and you can't hurt me like… that. We can't hurt each other, Sasuke-kun. Not like that. It's not… not enough for us to be together. It's not enough reason."

Sasuke frowned at her. "It's more than enough."

"Are you sure?"

He went rigid at that, and his eyes turned accusingly to hers. "You've never doubted me before."

"No," she whispered, "I never doubted you. But I doubted _us_. You're not in love with me, Sasuke-kun. And I…" her smile was amused, "I'm not in love with you, either."

"We can be good."

"We can be good," Ino agreed readily, "but we won't be happy.

Sasuke stiffened, obsidian eyes darkening as they settled on her beautiful face. Another smile played on her lips, though this one was crestfallen, as her unspoken words lingered heavily in the air around them:

_We'll only be sad together. _

"And we don't want that for each other, do we?" she asked, "We want _us_ to be happy. And you… you have a chance at that, Sasuke-kun, right now."

A bitter chuckle escaped his throat at her soft assertion. "That's very farfetched, isn't it," he muttered, acerbic, "when she didn't even let me apologize?"

"The Sasuke-kun I know wouldn't give up after one failed attempt."

"Well, the Sasuke-kun you know is dead. Gone. _I_ killed him."

The blonde-haired woman laughed at that, significantly more cheerful than she had been a few moments ago. "You don't do things half-assed, Sasuke-kun," she said, "So she shot you down the first time. Big deal. It's just your first try. Go after her. Has it never crossed your mind that she just might want you to fight for her?"

He sighed. "It certainly doesn't look that way."

"Then perhaps you should show her she's worth fighting for," Ino replied, "and that you _will_ fight for her. Maybe then it will look that way."

She made sense. She made a lot of sense.

Sasuke glared and raised his hands in defeat. "I hate you."

Her lips curled into an amused grin as she stood up, picking up the tray from the table. "I'm sure."

And then she sashayed to the kitchen, laughing softly to herself. She came back with cut-up bananas on a plate and a glass of mineral water. It was when she looked at him that Sasuke finally relented.

"Thank you… Ino."

Her smile was genuinely happy, and all of a sudden, Sasuke realized that this was the first right thing he had done in a while as she beamed, a whisper escaping her lips.

"Anytime."

xx

Tenten was watching _Accidentally on Purpose_ at home when she heard the door open. Not bothering to rise gracefully, she jumped to her feet and rushed to the entrance of her apartment, the pillow she had been hugging discarded on the carpeted floor.

"Sakura!" she exclaimed when she saw a pink-haired figure emerging from the darkness, relief flooding her face and her voice. "You're back."

Sakura smiled weakly at her, looking deadly exhausted as she fought to move into the living room. Once she was in front of a sofa and a safe, albeit a little rough, landing was guaranteed, she threw herself and sunk into the comfortable cushion, burying her face on the velvet surface.

It had been a very, very _long_ day.

Akihito had not been lying when he told her there would be reporters waiting for her and Honoka at the office, but he failed to inform her that there would be at least _thirty_ of them. When Sakura arrived, she was expecting two or three—five maybe, but not _thirty_!—and was thusly _floored_ at the sudden barrage of questions flung at her. Honoka had been infinitely more graceful, only smiling politely and answering in brief, unspecific comments. Apparently her picture was in _Tokyo Daily_ today—small, she did not make it to the headlines—and it was enough to send journalists into a frenzy.

Thankfully, and to her absolutely surprise, what they wrote in the papers hadn't been demeaning. Uncomfortable and slightly fabricated, perhaps—for example, she certainly did _not_ break down in uncontrollable sobs when Akihito announced her as his long-lost granddaughter—but at least it was not too exaggerated. She could live with that; she had better things to worry about… like Sugiyama Noriaki, the personal police escort she found herself abruptly assigned to.

Both her mother and grandfather had insisted that it was a safety measure, but she did _not_ like the idea of Sugiyama following her around twenty four-seven! After an endless and tiring argument against her mother _and_ grandfather, they finally agreed to send him away as soon as he sent her home safely. Now she knew what it was like to be known with distinction and she found that she hated the spotlight more than ever.

Rolling to her back, Sakura noticed that Tenten was looming over the couch, warm brown eyes watching her with worry.

"I'm fine," she managed, giving what she meant to be a convincing smile, "Just tired."

"That much I can see," Tenten smiled back, although the anxious crease between her brows did not smoothen, "Do you need anything? Hot green tea? White chocolate mocha? Food? I forgot you weren't at home and ordered Thai for dinner."

"Thai sounds good," Sakura nodded gratefully at her housemate, fighting to get up from the couch, "Wait, I'll help you."

"No. You're tired, you're hungry, and the last thing I need you to do is to fall over in the kitchen."

Tenten came back a few minutes later with heated pad thai on a plate and a cup of tea. Settling the tray on the coffee table, she sat down on the floor next to the couch, and looked up at Sakura. "Sai came by earlier today."

Emerald green eyes widened in surprise, "He did? Why?"

"To drop off your phone," she replied, reaching for the object from the table and handing it to her housemate, looking at her expectantly. "You didn't know?"

"I didn't even remember I left my phone with him," Sakura admitted as she moved to sit up on the couch, checking her phone. There were some missed calls, but none of it was from Sasuke. Feeling oddly dejected, she put the phone back on the coffee table and let out a heavy, exhausted sigh. She picked up her chopsticks and started eating. "I met Sasuke last night."

"How did it go?"

"Well…" Sakura shrugged. "Let's just say I freaked out and I completely screwed up any chance of us… getting back to where we were. I just…" she inhaled sharply, "I don't know if I can ever forget it. His eyes, his accusations, his voice… I'm not sure I can put it behind me, you know? It's like when he appears, in front of me, right there, all I could think of is how much he hurt me before. And I—"

"Sakura."

She lifted her gaze to meet Tenten's uncertainly, emerald eyes glistening once again with unshed tears.

"It's okay," Tenten whispered, covering her hands with her own, "It's okay to not be able to forget what happened. Some things you never will, and besides, some things you should _not_ forget. Frankly, I think this is one of them. Of course, that goes for both you and him."

Sakura looked confused. "You think I shouldn't forget this?"

"I think that it's okay if you don't… if you can't."

"Why?"

Tenten's smile was almost maternal. "Because while what he did was wrong," she said gently, "He's human, just like how you're human or I'm human. And humans, well… we make mistakes. But here's the thing, Sakura."

Sakura blinked, and one teardrop rolled down her cheek as she asked, voice hoarse, "What?"

Tenten's answer was plain and simple: "We learn from them."

"Not always."

"Not always." Tenten quickly nodded to agree. "But whether we do or don't is a choice we make, isn't it, Sakura? It's like standing on the crossroads and choosing between two completely different paths. Option one, you don't learn from your mistake and you open yourself to the risk of doing it again in the future. Option two, you take what you can from it, learn your lessons, and move on."

Sakura was silent, and Tenten sensed that her words were finally sinking in.

"He made a mistake, Sakura," she continued, "he wronged you and for that you have every right to be angry at him, to not forgive him. But he's done what he can, and it's _you_ who have to choose right now. Will you forgive him and move on, fix things with him, or will you hold on to his mistake and live miserably remembering that, letting go of something that could have been really… special?"

Sakura's expression was tired, but in her eyes was a light Tenten hadn't seen in quite a while. "It's my choice," she said, comprehending, "And I will make it."

"When you're ready."

Sakura nodded. "When I'm ready."

"Good." Tenten smiled. "Now, how do you feel about a vacation to Okinawa?"

"Okinawa?" Sakura blinked in surprise. "On what occasion?"

"Research for me," Tenten answered, "And some time for you to clear your thoughts and figure things out. About a week, two weeks tops. Just until I get everything I need to get and see everything I want to see."

Wordlessly, Sakura reached for her phone and ran her thumb over the keypad, pressing the middle button. The red light on the top blinked back lazily at her, signalling new messages and missed calls she had yet to check. None of them, she reminded herself sombrely, was from Sasuke. She stared at the screen for a few more silent seconds before her finger covered the red button, her phone shutting down, the screen fading into black.

And then she looked up at Tenten and made her decision.

"When do we leave?"

.

.

.

**tbc.**

* * *

**a/n:** 1) Sugiyama Noriaki is Sasuke's voice actor in the anime. (See what I did there? :P) I love his voice.

2) Thanks for being so nice and patient with me, guys. I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Have a lovely, lovely weekend. :3


	28. xxviii

**a/n:** Hi guys, here's hoping June's a wonderful month for you all. Enjoy this chapter, by the way; we've only got two more to go. Thank you for sticking with me after all this time, the posting and reposting and what-not, and especially thank you for those who have commented! I really couldn't have asked for a better readership.

* * *

**twenty-eight.**

.

.

.

"That's a wrap, I think."

Sasuke examined the contract in front of him warily, reading every word with extra care just in case there was any loophole he might have missed. When he was done, he put the folder down on the table cautiously, almost as if it was the most important set of documents he had ever encountered in the years he served as CEO—and it might as well be. The file contained the most sensitive, detailed information that would undeniably be of good use to them in the future: records of Madara's wrongdoings, details of his corruption over the resources trusted to him, balance sheets, cash flow statements and profit and loss accounts starting from the time Sasuke been crowned president, his parents' will and many other legal papers.

Over the past few days, the elders had called forth a meeting to discuss Madara's status in the company. Most of them voted to completely remove Madara from the board of directors, allowing him to stay in the company with limited rights. Like a true Uchiha, he tried to wrestle his way out of it but it was a done deal. It was either demotion or termination, and Madara, unable to stand the load anymore, decided to just leave the company for good. Now, no one would know if he ever decide to strike again, but as far as Sasuke was concerned, the Uchiha's would be safe for a very, very long time.

"That's a wrap," he agreed, handing the file over to Itachi to be stored in a safety cabinet as he looked up. "Thank you, Ichinose."

"No problem," the lawyer responded smoothly, tucking in the rest of his files into his briefcase. He stood up, followed by the Uchiha brothers, and then shook their hands. "It has been a pleasure, Itachi, Sasuke."

With a final exchange of goodbyes, Itachi left to escort Ichinose out and take care of the files, leaving Sasuke alone in his office. As the younger Uchiha reclined on his chair, he took a deep breath and his gaze fell to the phone sitting on his table. Gingerly, he leaned forward and lifted the receiver, fingers going over a number he contacted so many times over the last few days that he didn't have to try to remember it anymore because his body, pretty obviously, did.

And like his other attempts, this one was just as vain. The voice that answered him hadn't been the one he longed to hear; instead it was the operator telling him that the number was unreachable for the time being and he should try again soon.

So he did. And he did. And he did, probably for another five times after that. Perhaps he was being obnoxiously stubborn, but this was one of those things he couldn't just let go. She was one of those things he couldn't let go—and didn't want to.

Hell, she _topped_ the list, and he'd be damned if he just stood still and let his life pass him by.

So Sasuke decided to do the next best thing he could.

The receptionist in the Miyazawa's office picked up after three rings, sounding chirpy and upbeat. "Good morning! Hisajima Shiho speaking, and this is the Miyazawa's head office. How may I help you?"

"I'd like to talk to Haruno Sakura," he paused, and then added, "Please."

"Alright, who am I speaking to?"

"Uzumaki—" he halted himself right on time, his shoulders tense. What was the point of lying? It probably wouldn't get him anywhere further than where he was standing this point of time, and he definitely didn't want that. "I mean Uchiha," he corrected himself, "You're speaking to Uchiha Sasuke."

If Shiho was suspicious of him, she dismissed it quickly. "Okay, let's see…" There was a slight pause before she suddenly came back to him. "I'm afraid Haruno-san is away on a trip, sir. May I take a message instead?"

Sasuke stiffened on his seat. "She's away on a trip?" he asked, hating the way his voice sounded feeble, uncertain, "Do you know how long she'll be away? Or when she'll be back?"

"She should be back in about two or three weeks, Uchiha-san." Shiho's voice was smooth, soothing now. "If your matters are urgent and pressing and of professional nature, sir, I can refer you to her temporary replacement. I'm sure Amaru-san is just as qualified to help you, and she…"

But the rest of Shiho's sentence went unheeded by Sasuke, who could only process the first part.

_Two or three weeks_. God, where had Sakura gone to? Why? And more importantly, _how _did he not hear anything about this at all? After the ball about two weeks ago, the media had gone completely crazy with the revelation that Miyazawa Akihito had a long-lost granddaughter. The press conferences that followed after that had been to fend off the endless streams of rumors and questions flung at Sakura and her parents. He'd seen it all on TV when he wasn't working. Even so, the media still found Sakura an enigma, following her every move and speculating every time she did or didn't do something. She popped up often in the news, sometimes making it to gossip magazines and other times only mentioned in passing. Heck, they even actually released her bio on a teen magazine, calling her the modern day Cinderella. He heard she'd even been assigned a personal bodyguard, which made him—

"Uchiha-san, are you still there?"

At the mention of his name, Sasuke straightened on his chair. "I'm still here."

"Good! Now, shall I forward you to Amaru-san or do you want to leave a message for Haruno-san instead?"

"Do you know where she's gone to?" he decided to ask.

Shiho sounded apologetic. "I'm afraid not, sir."

With a disappointed sigh, Sasuke told her thanks and then hung up, contemplating on what to do next. Two or three weeks. Too long. He needed her sooner than that. He needed her to know that he wasn't going to let her go, and he needed her to know that fast, before _she_ could let go of _him._

An idea crossed his mind, and Sasuke reached for the phone once again.

"Setsuna, I need you to find something for me."

xx

Sai was not amused. Far from it.

Crossing his arms, he leaned back on his seat and peered at his guest, his expression a blank sheet of white. "I didn't expect to see you here," he said, the timbre of his voice even though there was a slight rise of unease as he asked, "How did you find me?"

Sasuke met his eyes. "I have my sources."

"We all do," Sai agreed placidly. "Perhaps the better question is… _why_ did you come to me?"

Sasuke ran his fingers over his hair, forcing himself to collect himself. He did not want to be here. Truth be told, being here was probably the least thing he wanted for himself, but he had to do what he had to do. "Sakura's gone."

"Ah, yes," Sai nodded. "What does that have to do with your standing here?"

"Do you know where she is?"

Sai's lips curled into a smile. "No."

Sasuke was incredulous. "You don't?"

"No," he repeated. "Unfortunately, I don't know where she is. But Sakura is an adult and she can take care of herself perfectly well. She needs the time away, and she knows it."

"So she's escaping the world? Just like that?"

"She will be back."

"Is she alone?"

The dark-haired businessman shook his head, "Tenten is with her."

Sasuke took in this information and mulled it over in his head, feeling himself unwind a little, ease a little. If Tenten was with Sakura, then it was almost a hundred percent guaranteed she was fine. Nobody knew and understood Sakura like Tenten did.

Sai leaned forward, resting his chin on the back of his palm. "Frankly, Uchiha-san, if she hasn't told you where she is, perhaps she doesn't want you to find out. Have you considered that?"

"Yes," Sasuke replied stiffly, "but I have also considered the alternative."

"Which is?"

"She wants me to fight for her." A pause. "And I need to remind her that _I_ want to fight for her as well."

At the answer, the corners of Sai's lips twitched and muted amusement danced in his dark onyx eyes. He took a long, good look at Sasuke, his gaze fixated on the man standing in front of him. "Ah, I see now."

Sasuke narrowed his eyes suspiciously. "See what?"

"The difference between us," Sai replied quietly, moving to his feet. He took a few steps until they were directly face to face, standing an inch or two taller than the Uchiha. "The one slight difference where I failed and you could—and would—succeed."

"I don't understand what you're yakking about."

But Sai, not to be intimidated, just said, very simply: "You love her."

"Don't _you_?"

"Not as much as you do," Sai replied matter-of-factly, "and evidently, not the way you do."

Sasuke snorted.

"Perhaps I used to," Sai continued, his voice so unperturbed, so impassive that it was almost acerbic, "I don't know. But I know one thing, Uchiha Sasuke: I let her go."

Sasuke shuffled his feet, suddenly uncomfortable. "That's not what she said."

Sai was suddenly intrigued. "What did she say?"

"That you both let go."

The intrigue immediately turned to amusement. "That's such a Sakura thing to say."

Grudgingly, Sasuke admitted, "I know."

"Don't you?"

"I know," he bit out. "I _know_ what she's like. I know what she's been through—"

"Do you?"

"What do you mean?"

"Do you know what she's been through the last couple of weeks?" Sai asked. "The moment she needed you, you turned your back to her and walked away. What do you know about her, Uchiha Sasuke? What _right_ do you have to know anything about her? You saw her at the party. How do you know she'll even forgive you?"

Sasuke stiffened at the question. "I can try."

"And if you fail?"

"That's not for _you_ to decide."

"No," Sai agreed. "I suppose not. Like I said, there is a difference between us, and _this_ is where the difference comes in."

"Talking to you is like talking to a babbling eunuch, Arakaki Sai," Sasuke stated sullenly, "You go in circles to the point of being incoherent. Just get to it."

Sai looked at him for a long, long while, and for a horrible moment, Sasuke thought he had spent the last fifteen minutes for _nothing_.

But then he smiled—actually smiled.

"I missed my chance, Uchiha Sasuke," he spoke, this time with fortitude, no matter how subdued, "I let her go. But for you, your chance is still here," he paused, "Don't let it go. Don't let _her_ go." His eyes softened. "Or it'll become something you'll regret."

_Did you regret it?_ Sasuke wanted to ask, but instead, his voice was quiet. "I know."

Reaching for a memo, Sai scribbled something on it and then handed it to Sasuke. "This is Tenten's new number. If you manage to get _her_ to forgive you, then you might still have a shot with Sakura."

Sasuke eyed the piece of paper suspiciously. "Why are you helping me?" he asked, disbelief clear in his voice, "You hate me."

"I don't," Sai countered, calm but unreadable. "_You_ hate _me_."

Sasuke did not reply.

"Selfishness aside, I want Sakura to be happy. She deserves it more than anyone, after all she's been through, after all her family has put her through… after all _I_ have put her through." Sai reached for the discarded newspaper he had been reading when Sasuke came barging into his office. Wordlessly, he folded the paper neatly, making sure every corner met every corner, end to end, and it dawned on Sasuke how similar they actually were. "I think you can make her happy."

"She hates me."

Sai looked up. "No, she doesn't. She's angry. She has every right to be, and you know it, too."

Sasuke glowered. "You—!"

"Do not test my patience, Uchiha Sasuke," Sai interrupted. "There must be a reason why you just came here barging into my office in broad daylight."

Not having any real answer to that, Sasuke shoved the paper into his pocket, and started to walk out before he stopped at the door. Not bothering to look at Sai, he mumbled a grudging, reluctant, "Thanks."

Sai did not miss a beat. "You're welcome."

This time Sasuke turned around, his eyes meeting Sai's, black against black, as he repeated his gratitude, finally slipping out of the door before the latter could respond.

Maybe in the far, far future, or perhaps in another life, they could be friends.

xx

Damn it.

Letting out a string of curses, Tenten glared at her shoes, closing the glass door behind her as she made her way out to the veranda. Damn it, damn it, _damn it_.

"Tenten, are you there?"

She _should_ have known better than to pick up calls from unknown numbers! Now she was stuck with the consequences in the form of a persistent man refusing to give up unless she told him where she was—namely Uchiha Sasuke.

Making sure Sakura couldn't hear her, she sighed into the phone. "Yes. Yes, I am, Sasuke. What do you want?"

There was hesitation in his voice as he asked, "How is she?"

"Coping," she answered, making a face although Sasuke couldn't see it.

It was the truth: Sakura _was _coping. Not fine, just coping—and it was starting to drive her crazy. She wasn't getting better. She wasn't _moving on_, and Tenten suddenly felt so very useless. She originally thought that being away from all the chaotic mess Sakura called home would do some good to her, but seeing as she was barely improving, the novelist really didn't know what else to do.

"She's not sad, not upset, not angry," Tenten informed her caller dully, tiredly, as she sat down, "She's eating well, sleeping well, taking good care of herself…"

"But?"

She swore. It was like he had sixth sense, honestly. "But she's not happy," she said. "She's not _herself_. And I hate that, Sasuke, God, I hate that so much. And I hate that you're calling _me_ instead of her!"

Sasuke's response was flat but patient. "I would've called her if she'd talk to me, Tenten."

"I know."

"Hmm."

"What?"

"Will you ever tell me where you're at?"

Tenten bit her lip, arguing with herself in her head. On one hand, while time away wasn't making Sakura any happier, perhaps she needed just a little more time. On the other hand… her intuition was telling her that her best friend wasn't dealing with the problem at all, which would inevitably lead to a bigger problem. Bottling up feelings only worked for so much, for so long; even then it wasn't the best way—or a _way_ at all, really—to solve a problem. At this rate, Tenten didn't care if Sakura would give her the cold shoulder for a while—they were best friends, they'd get over it—but she couldn't stand aside and watch her _wither_ any longer.

Sighing again, she rested her elbows on her lap, bending forward, her chin on her palm. "We're in Okinawa."

Sasuke sounded incredulous. "_Okinawa_?"

"Yes. Okinawa."

"What for?"

"I need to do some research."

"I see," answered Sasuke, and then he went completely silent save for the typing of his keyboard.

"Well?"

"Well what?"

"Don't tell me you wanted to know just for the sake of it!" Tenten snapped impatiently, "Are you going to come down here or not?"

"Patience is a virtue, Tenten," Sasuke sounded amused, "I just bought myself a plane ticket. I'll be there by tonight."

At his response, Tenten immediately felt a surge of relief so powerful that she ignored his slight, almost good-natured jibe. "I'll hold on to your words," she said. "We're staying at the Hyuuga's, room twelve-zero-two. I'll arrange it with the receptionist so he'll know to let you in."

"Okay. Thanks."

"Sasuke?"

"Yeah?"

Tenten stared into the room at Sakura. Her pink-haired best friend was curled with a pillow and a blanket on the sofa, her eyes glued to the TV. "This better be worth it."

Sasuke's reply was easy, relaxed, but serious. "I know."

But Tenten wasn't done. Her next words were spoken softly, quietly, like she was holding her own breath and hoping for the best.

"_You_ better be worth it."

There was a slight pause, and then, "I know."

xx

Haruno Sakura loved parties.

She loved them because they were noisy, distracting her from her wayward thoughts of a certain someone that had been lurking in the back of her mind. She loved them because they celebrated something, reminding her that while she wasn't exactly happy, many people around her were. She loved them because there were music and dance, and she would be free from—

"Alone?"

—people hitting on her.

Daring herself to look up, she found herself face-to-face with a man in his early thirties. He had brown hair and bright blue eyes that would have reminded her of Naruto's if only they weren't looking at her like she was an object especially made for his lecherous, perverse pleasure.

"No," Sakura finally replied, a polite smile spreading on her lips, "My best friend is around."

"I'm sure he is," the stranger raised his eyebrows as he smirked, clearly unconvinced, "Well, he's wrong to leave someone like you alone. My name is Daisuke, I just broke up with my girlfriend, and I will be pleased to keep you company until he comes back—_if_ he comes back."

Her smile turned forced. "It's a she, and no, thank you."

"Is that so?"

"Yes," she answered, tipping her cocktail glass, the familiar taste of martini sliding into her throat.

For several moments, Daisuke only stared at her curiously. "I know you," he said suddenly. "You're Sakura. The long-lost heiress of the Miyazawa—"

"No," Sakura cut in before he could finish his sentence. Amused, she tipped her cocktail glass, the familiar taste of martini sliding into her throat. So she was _heiress_ now? Those gossip magazines clearly needed to come up with better stories—the truth, for a change, would be nice. Setting the glass down, she looked at him with cool green eyes, "I'm not Miyazawa Sakura."

"You certainly look like her."

She shrugged. "So I've been told."

The brown-haired man was quiet for a few seconds before he reached forward, his hand squeezing the fingers she circled around her glass. "Are you sure," he began, his lips close to her ear, his breath, reeking faintly of alcohol, fanning her cheek, "that you don't want me to keep you company? I can get you another glass."

Sakura drew back sharply, immediately, careful not to show the disgust flaring in the pit of her stomach, and pushed him away with her free hand. "I'm sure."

Surprisingly, his smile only widened, infinitely pleased with himself. "Well, that's too bad."

She didn't reply, praying to whatever god there was to quickly send this philandering man far, far away from her. She'd chosen to go down to the hotel bar while Tenten slaved herself over her book in their room after dinner, knowing that there was a weekend party where she could get drinks for free. She'd even taken her seat on the small table outside the bar overlooking the swimming pool and the garden, thinking that she could use even more quiet, thinking time. The night sky was a blanket of gorgeous, velvety blue, specked by a constellation of stars, and she was alone out here.

Or at least, she should have been, because this was about as far as being 'alone' as it could get and she was starting to regret her decision. If she had known that she would have to deal with someone as ill-mannered and brash as this man when all she wanted was some peace, she'd have locked herself in a cupboard and stay there for days. At least _that_ would give her all the peace and quiet she longed for.

"That's too bad for _you_, I mean," Daisuke continued casually, his tone conversational as he took the seat next to her, a wicked gleam in the bright blue of his eyes, "_I_ happen to like women like you. You play hard to get, you think you're a challenge," his hand rested on her knee, and when she tried to pry his fingers away, his grip only tightened persistently, "but in the end you're just another lonely girl in desperate need of company—"

Sakura stared at him in disbelief, but he wasn't done.

"—or, to put it bluntly, someone to _fuck_."

At his snide, vile remark and his accompanying taunting sneer, Sakura stiffened on her seat, her fingers tightening around the cocktail glass she was holding.

"Very charming, aren't you," she remarked after she composed herself, not a hint of emotion on her pretty face, "From the sound of it, Daisuke-san, it seems like _you_'re the one in desperate need of company. I wonder why is that, hmm?" slender eyebrows rose above emerald eyes, "Did your girlfriend dump you because of your lack of tact? Your disrespectful, horrid behavior? Your ever-colourful language?" she paused, and her green eyes darkened, "Or is it you yourself, because you're so _repulsive_?"

He opened his mouth, his facial muscles tightening with anger.

"I pity you," Sakura interrupted him, her voice honeyed so saccharinely sweet that it bordered on mockery, "But I pity her more, to be honest with you. To have been involved with someone so… _abysmal_ must not be a very fulfulling experience for her, I imagine. And yet here you are, not even _trying_ to better yourself but hitting on women who would rather _die_ than be with someone as disgusting as you are."

His eyes narrowed. "You—"

"How very shameful," she whispered. "How very _pathetic_."

"You bitch!" gasped Daisuke, his whole body shaking with anger. He grabbed her arm and in response she gasped, startled, as he tilted her chin up roughly, forcing her to look up at him, their lips inches apart. Her green eyes blazed with fury and she struggled, but his grip was strong and steady. "Listen," he hissed, "No one speaks like that to me, so shut the fuck up. Women like you are no better than trash, and you know the only thing you're good for? Fucking. You hear me? That's all you're good for. A good fuck."

"You asshole," she spat in return, choking with strangled breath, the contempt burning in her eyes only multiplying, "You sexist _pig_."

The grip on her arm tightened and he let go of her chin, pulling his hand back, and Sakura held her breath, squirming on her seat as her eyes closed in alarm, bracing herself for impact…

But the slap never came.

Instead, a hard punch delivered right to his face sent him staggering back, jolting out of his seat, his grip on her arm slackening as his body lurched. He clutched his right cheek, howling in pain, his scream shrill and piercing sharp as he recoiled—before another blow struck him again and this time, he plummeted to the ground like a used napkin, screeching in painful agony.

Sakura released her breath she didn't realize she had been holding, her eyes wide at the figure standing in front of her, his back facing her. The charcoal black hair, the curve of his neck, the familiar shoulders _shaking_ in pure hatred…

"Sa… Sasuke?"

.

.

.

**tbc.**

* * *

**a/n: **Speaking of which, if anyone notices the parallelism between this chapter and the very first chapter without me saying this, I would quite possibly love you forever. :D


	29. xxix

**a/n:** Second to last chapter. Thank you for sticking with this story and me all this time, guys! Enjoy. :)

* * *

**twenty-nine.**

.

.

.

At the shocked gasp of his name, Sasuke stiffened though he did not immediately turn back. Instead, he ignored her and crouched in front of Daisuke, seizing the man by his collar.

When he spoke, his voice was trembling with boiling anger. "What did you do to her?" he demanded, and when Daisuke didn't answer, shook the man violently, obsidian eyes darkening with barely concealed fury as his voice dipped even lower, "I asked you a _question_."

"I—" the brown-haired man gasped, writhing in his clutch, "I didn't want to—I didn't mean to, I swear! Nothing! I swear—!"

"Wrong answer," Sasuke whispered, standing up as he pulled Daisuke up with him, fingers squeezing the back of his collar and pressed against the side of his neck, "Wrong answer."

Eyes widening in horror, Sakura launched herself at him without thinking, hands thrown across his shoulders in a firm grasp. "Sasuke, stop!"

Her touch felt like fire on his skin, sending ripples of electricity down his spine and he jerked, fingers unclasping instantaneously. Freed from his tight grasp, Daisuke plummeted to the ground in a whimpering mess, shrivelling in fear as he hugged himself protectively, frightened sobs raking through his body uncontrollably.

"Leave," Sasuke ordered after a beat of silence, his voice harsh, "If I ever see you again, I swear I will—"

Daisuke emitted a high-pitched, almost wimpy scream of terror and instantly scrambled to his feet, running to the direction of the gardens and falling several times before he finally disappeared behind the bushes. Only when he was out of sight that Sasuke stopped shaking violently, though the tremor of his fists did not stop, tension rolling off his body in hot waves. Sensing this, Sakura did not let go, her right hand softly brushing the crook where his shoulder met his neck soothingly but persistently, up and down, up and down, up and down—until he suddenly drew away a moment later, untangling himself from her and turned around sharply, his back facing her.

His voice was charged with empty accusations when he spoke. "I wasn't going to hurt him."

In stark contrast, hers was undeniably soft. "I know."

"I was only going to—to teach him a lesson."

"I know," she assured.

For a few moments, they did not speak. She watched his back tremble in quiet stillness, waiting until he relaxed, his stiff back unwinding, his shoulders loosening, his erratic breathing becoming more and more controlled. The uneasy, tense atmosphere dissolved into a silent once, and she felt her own heartbeat calm.

"Sasuke?"

His name escaped her lips, a whisper so faint, so muted, so soft that if he wasn't so sharply attuned to her he would've dismissed it as his own imagination.

"I…" His breath hitched and for a second he struggled with his words. "I…"

Sasuke turned his head and their eyes met, obsidian black to sparkling emerald green.

"I'm sorry," he rasped hoarsely, the tenor of his voice choked low by emotion and coloured by many shades of frustration, the intensity in his darkened eyes telling her everything she needed to know, "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."

There were several beats of silence before Sakura took a tentative step towards him, crossing the distance between yes and no, and rested her forehead against the slope of his back, eyes fluttering to a close.

"I know," she whispered, and though her words were escaping phantoms, to them was a certain firmness, a familiar solidness that provided him with the comfort and reassurance only she could give, as she repeated, "I know."

xx

From where they were standing, the sky was a velveteen blanket of midnight blue, pattered by various constellations of fascinatingly, radiantly glittering stars and city lights alike. The porcelain cup between her hands was warm, the taste of coffee with cream and two cubes of sugar pleasantly familiar on her tongue as she sipped ever so slowly, her eyes stealing a careful glance at the man standing in front of her.

Sasuke hadn't spoken a word since they returned to her room, and while the silence was not entirely uncomfortable, it was starting to get to her. She only held it at bay knowing that she was giving him the chance to begin first. He was here, was he not? _He_ came to _her_, willingly, and the only thing she could do to respect that was to give him this once chance to say whatever he wanted—or needed—to say, no matter what it was.

Gently, Sakura lifted the cup to her lips and took another sip, sitting down on the patio chair. The night wind, while not harsh, was crisp and a little bit chilly, so she set her beverage down and draped a thin blanket around her shoulders. Hoping what little bit of warmth would transfer to her fingertips, she curved her hands around the cup again.

Tenten wasn't in the room when they entered, the message she left on the table indicating that Sakura needed not to worry, she was fine and she would be spending the night somewhere else. The bun-haired woman must have known that the Uchiha was coming, perhaps even orchestrated a part in it, but right this moment all Sakura felt was gratitude. She didn't even want to think about what could—what _would_—happen if he hadn't been there. Daisuke was persistent and aggressive, and the slap that he was about to give her was the first of many, she was sure.

At the unpleasant thought, she shuddered on her seat, an involuntary shiver running up and down her spine and her eyes slipped close as she tried to push the images away.

"Are you okay?"

The unexpected question rendered her speechless but only for a moment before she opened her eyes.

"I'm fine," she said, half lying and half not. A weak smile spreading on her lips, she looked at him through long lashes, her next words more truthful but attentive, "You were there." For a moment she hesitated, paused, before she asked, "Are _you_ okay?"

The unpleasant feeling pooling in the bottom of his stomach stirred into something similar to warmth though his expression did not change. "Of course."

She studied him. "You punched him."

"I did."

"Twice."

He sighed. "Yes."

"Am I to assume," Sakura paused, waiting until he turned to fully look at her, "that the cut on your knuckles come from another fight, another day?"

Inwardly, Sasuke cursed. He should've known better to punch someone on the face because there was always a possibility of catching the front teeth. Though he knew it was futile—the cut wasn't long but the drying blood was no help—he moved his hand behind his back and managed curtly, "Yes."

Her lips curved with amusement and she stood up, her steps lights against the floor as she walked to him. She reached out and cradled his injured fist in her hands, her right thumb brushing over his knuckles gently. A light flutter swept the back of his neck at her cool touch, but she released him and it was over before he could begin to analyse the strange sensation—though he didn't have to, not really, for he already knew what it was. He watched her mosey into the room, returning with a wet tissue, and then let her hold his hand as she deftly swept blood off his skin, eyes downcast to peer at the wound.

Standing this close with the wind blowing so often, he caught a whiff of her scent: faint strawberry mingled with something sweeter and softer he always associated with her but couldn't put a name to. Subconsciously he leaned forward, dry lips inches away from brushing the crown of her head before she pulled away all of a sudden.

"Wait here," she told him, "I'll get you a bandaid."

The pink-haired woman disappeared into the room before he could say anything, leaving him with a sense of something akin to longing that he immediately dismissed when she came back with her promised bandaid. Letting her put the stripe to his skin, the slight throbbing pain was alleviated by her cool fingertips. When she was done she withdrew slowly, only to have him catch her wrist in a grip persistent enough to stop her from moving away but loose enough that it didn't surprise her.

"Sakura."

"Yes."

"I…" he paused, struggling with his words as he let go of her wrist, "I want to thank you."

Breezily she folded the paper remnants of the bandaid into a small rectangle. "This is basic, Sasuke," she said offhandedly, "Besides, if you hadn't been there—"

"No, not for this," Sasuke interrupted, "I mean… this as well, but more for what you did for the Uchiha's," the last part he added almost as an afterthought, "more for what you did for me."

Sakura stiffened at his words and though her voice was perfectly composed, her eyes were narrowed. "You knew."

"Yes," he admitted, "I knew."

Setting the slip of paper down on the table, she looked up. "My grandfather told you."

It wasn't a question, so he didn't answer, instead posed a question of his own: "Did you ever plan to tell me?"

Her lips curved into a smile of something he couldn't identify. "No."

"Why not?"

The pink-haired woman shrugged, taking her seat once more as she lifted her coffee for another sip. "It wasn't relevant before," she said softly, after a moment, her eyes glued on the cup between her fingers, "I honestly thought we were never going to see each other again. It's not important anyway so I never thought to tell you. Besides, you were angry at me, weren't you?" She looked up, meeting his eyes when he did not speak. "That's the end."

_That's the end._

Her words struck the Uchiha harder than he thought they would, his eyes widening. For a moment he wondered if the cold, sharp pain stabbing his chest was caused by what she said or _how_ she said it, so compliantly, so resignedly, so matter-of-factly—like she would give up, like she was giving up, like she _had_ given up.

Except _he_ hadn't.

Sasuke closed his eyes and opened them again, watching her for a moment before a question long thought about slid out of his lips: "Why did you do it?"

"Why did I do what?"

"Why did you save my company?" he asked. "Why did you do it?"

Sakura remained silent for a moment, green eyes holding his intense, smouldering gaze quietly, carefully, as she considered the answer to his question. She lifted her cup and took a generous swallow. "Honestly? I don't know," she responded, her voice soft and very imperceptibly shaky, the first crack in the calm, composed presence of mind she seemed to possess from the moment they began talking, "It just seemed like something I could do at the moment."

"Despite what I've done?" he demanded.

Slender eyebrows rose over apple green eyes. "Have you considered that I might not have done it for you?"

Surprised at such a suggestion, his next question came out rushed, curt. "You didn't do it for me?"

"I don't know," she repeated. Like I said, it just seemed like something I could do at the moment. Something I _had_ to do. The _only_ thing I could do... for you. It seemed…" she paused, searching for a fitting word, "right."

Her words registered in his mind and he ignored the disappointment submerging in the bottom of his stomach, and instead tried to focus on the matter at hand. Regardless of why she did it and who she did it for, nothing could change the fact that _she_ did it—and for that he owed her. She saved him.

And she did it in more ways than one.

"Did it work?" Her question was soft, her expression somber.

Sasuke lifted his gaze to meet hers. "Like a charm," he answered, his voice laced with something akin to heaviness though it lacked the conviction usually synonymous with his name, "Madara quit after the Board pressured him to. We're safe. The Uchiha's safe—" he stopped. _I'm safe. Because of you._

"Good." Sakura's lips twisted into a half-smile, the corners of her mouth tilting upwards just a bit as she held his gaze. "I'm glad I did it. If it saved what could be saved that's worth saving…"

"What about you?" the Uchiha interrupted her, running a hand through his disheveled hair, the expression fleeting in obsidian depths strikingly similar to frustration. He didn't know what infuriated him more: the fact that he wasn't there when she needed him to be, or the fact that _she_ was there for _him_ despite everything. In a split second he decided that both irked him just the same. "What about you, Sakura? What's your life like, now that everything has changed?" His voice dipped into a low, deep drawl. "_Who are you_?"

Suddenly transfixed by the patio table, her fingers ran through the patterns that adorned it, shadowing every swirl and descending sharply on every nook. The even timbre of her voice was almost maddeningly blithe when she said, "You ask terribly hard questions sometimes, Sasuke. What makes you think _I_ have all the answers? Because I don't," she went on as her hand stilled over a particularly complicated labyrinth of circles, "I don't have all the answers. I can't imagine having all the answers, and I think I never will. I _know_ I never will—but at least I know who I am. They can call me all the names they want. _You_ can call me all the names you want, but I'll always be who I am."

He dared not speak.

"I am a Miyazawa, Sasuke," she said, and it sounded more confident than she felt for her hands trembled slightly, "I won't deny my mother's heritage. I am a Miyazawa, but that doesn't mean I act or think like the lot of them. I am my mother's daughter as much as I am my father's child, and I'm also a Haruno. What happened to my parents happened to _them_, Sasuke—made them who they are and in turn, that became a part of who _I_ am."

"You—"

The pink-haired woman shifted her eyes and interrupted him flatly, "Akihito-san wants me to marry Sai."

Whatever words were about to come out of his mouth, he shoved it down his throat as he stared at her, surprise evident in his eyes. Arranged marriages weren't unusual in old, wealthy families, but Sakura… and Sai… just the thought formed knots in his stomach.

"Do you—will you—do you _want_ to?"

"No."

"So…"

"So I'm going to say no, of course," she shrugged. "I may be a Miyazawa, but I'm also a Haruno, and even before that—"

"You're Sakura," Sasuke cut in. "Before a Miyazawa, before a Haruno, before _everything else_, you're Sakura. Always have been, always will be. You're just—you're _you_."

Strands of pink cascaded over green eyes as her chin angled up in surprise. She nodded quietly, and for a horrible but morbidly fascinating moment she looked like she was about to cry. She didn't, though, simply drew in a sharp breath, her mask of indifference settling over her face save for some apparent cracks and fissures only he could see—for he was the one who caused them.

Perhaps he was the only one who _could_ cause them, who could hurt her like that, who could break her like that—just like how only _she_ could break _him_.

How absolutely ridiculous, he thought.

How absolutely absurd, preposterous, asinine, ludicrous, farcical, nonsensical—_foolish—_was this… this inexplicably, unfathomably baffling _thing_ they called a relationship. How did it become something of this nature? How did it slip his mind that he could hurt her and she could hurt him like no one else could before? And how, he wondered, did it ever escape his eyes that the only thing saving them was, well, _themselves_?

It was only a few months ago that he was a duty-obsessed block of stone, so hellbent on proving himself with no other goal in mind. Back then he had no idea how drastically his life would change, if it could even change. At that time he hadn't even _heard_ of Haruno Sakura. And today…

And today, he couldn't even _begin_ to imagine what his life would be like if he hadn't met her. If Naruto hadn't persuaded him to come to that one party. If he hadn't risen up to the blond's challenge and driven her home. If he hadn't met her again, and again, and again. If she hadn't made that one deal that changed the base of their relationship. If—

—if he hadn't fallen for her.

For a few moments, Sasuke let the thought sink in his mind.

It was, he realised, nothing short of utterly, absolutely, positively _bizarre_. It had never occurred to him until tonight—not even _once_—how much impact _one single person_ could make on another's life. How much impact something so simple could make on something so big. How much impact someone like Haruno Sakura could make on someone like Uchiha Sasuke.

What would he be if he hadn't met her, he wondered? What would he be doing? And more importantly, _who_ would he be?

"It seemed right," he echoed quietly, "You saved me because it seemed right."

"I wouldn't call that saving you." Her smile was wry. "But yes, I did it because it seemed right. Because it _was_ right."

That was all the clarification he needed.

"I made a mistake," Sasuke said slowly, sincerity deep in his voice as he took a step away from the balustrade and a step closer to her, the sky arching a midnight blue above them, "I questioned your worth. I demeaned you. I doubted you. I thought you weren't… you. I thought you were _theirs_. I thought you betrayed me. I thought you cared for me simply because you saw me as a means to an end," his breath hitched, "An end that doesn't have my name beside yours on it."

Sakura did not speak, waiting expectantly as he started towards her, his steps soundless against the floor of the veranda, his dark eyes clouded. The sight stole her breath away as much as his words did, but she composed herself, careful not to lose herself. She watched him struggle with himself, almost as if an internal battle was going on in his head, but given a moment he easily conquered both.

"I was wrong," he stopped in front of her, something silken in the baritone of his voice as it dipped lower, huskier, deeper, though the white honesty in his eyes was unmistakeable, "and I hope to be given another chance."

His words strung together a spoken demand, but combined with his voice it became something else to her ears. An apology. A request. A _plea_. For forgiveness.

_Her _forgiveness.

Something caught in her throat as she took note of the hope marking his voice, camouflaged as a monotone. Wrestling with the urge to smile, she looked at him and managed a barely audible choke, "You silly _boy_."

The relief in his obsidian depths was undeniably clear, perhaps because for once he cared not to shield them from her, instead laying bare _right_ _there_ in front of her to see. But that was not all, because the full weight of his gaze as he held her eyes held something even more than that. Something more… _special_, her wayward heart declared, sounding almost triumphant when the mind did not challenge it. Something only he could give her. Something only _she_ received from him.

Something, she understood, that allowed forgiveness, embraced mercy, and surrendered self-indulgent egoism because sometimes, there were more important things than pride.

The very same thing that she caught in his eyes, right this second.

Like—

"I love you, Sakura."

Love.

_Oh._

For a second she found that she couldn't breathe.

"Since—" she cleared her throat, red spreading on her cheeks as her lashes fluttered, her eyes widening, "Since _when_?"

"I don't know."

"You don't?"

"No." His eyes softened. "Maybe it started the moment you told me you trusted me even though no one else did. Maybe it started the moment I realised how annoying you are—but how _I_ keep coming back to you. Maybe it started the moment you told me to fight. I really don't know, but does it matter?"

Sakura released a shaky laugh. "I… I suppose not."

Sasuke took her hands in his, midnight-coloured eyes impossibly dark on her bright ones. "Do you know why Naruto chose you out of all hundreds of women in the ballroom the first time we met?"

She shook her head, looking confused.

"Do you know why I didn't put up more of a fight?"

"No…"

Sasuke studied her face silently. "Well... I don't know, either."

At his rather blunt answer, she suppressed a smile.

"But I know I have a lot to learn," he said, his voice so low and soft, his fingers curling around hers in a gentle but tight grip, "I know I have a lot to make up for. I know I can't guarantee that things will be easy—not for you, and not for myself, either, and… most definitely not for _us_. And I know, above everything else and more than anyone else, after everything that I've done, after everything that happened between us… you deserve better."

Sakura made a sound of protest at the back of her throat, but he shook his head and her lips clamped shut.

"I can't promise that you will always be happy, but I can promise that I will always be by your side—when you need me and even when you _don't_ need me," he lifted her hand to his lips, brushing a soft kiss on the curve of her thumb, "I can't promise you that we'll have no fights, but I can promise you that whatever it takes, I will always fight for you," he dropped a kiss on her knuckles, featherlight and soft, "I can't promise you that things will always be alright," his lips ghosted over the back of her hand before he pulled away to meet her gaze, "but I can promise you that we can _always _make it work."

She was looking at him in a way that made his blood boil, that set his skin on fire, that washed over him in warm waves. The green of her eyes glittered stark and brilliant against the dark sky. Sasuke watched in fascination as a single tear materialised in the corner of her eye, slipping through dark lashes and dropping onto the back of his hand. Cupping her face, he leaned forward, lips feathering over the corner of her mouth to collect another teardrop, and another, and then another, and…

"I can't promise you the world," he whispered, his breathing ragged but warm on her lips, "but I can promise you everything that I am, all that I am—" he paused, a fierce light of determination burning in his eyes, "—is yours."

For a moment time stood completely still.

"Sasuke…" Sakura drew in a sharp breath, even more tears welling on her eyes. "Sasuke, I—I love you too."

Leaning down, he claimed her mouth in a soft but insistent kiss, his fingers sinking in the pink strands of her hair as his tongue ghosted over her lips before she started responding, tilting her head, arms linked behind his neck to deepen the kiss. He pulled her closer, capturing her slender figure as his hand slid behind her back and settled on the curve of her waist, the other one cradling her chin as she melted in his arms. She tasted like perfection mingled with tears and coffee and he could feel _everything_; her eyelashes fluttering across his cheek as she kissed him back with everything she had in her, the soft moans at the back of her throat pitched low and husky, making his body sing, how her attentive fingers trembled against the back of his neck…

How desperately he loved her.

Sensing her need for oxygen, Sasuke reluctantly pulled away, drawing an inch between them. Her laboured breathing rippled across his skin and he felt a fascinating surge of male satisfaction wash over him as he rested his forehead on hers. Brushing her lips against his jaw, Sakura lowered her hands to the curve of his shoulders and closed her eyes, tucking herself underneath his chin as his arms pulled her closer, tighter.

And then she drew back, fingers smoothing over his collar as she brushed his hair. Her cheeks were dusted a lovely shade of pink and when she finally looked up to meet his gaze, her green eyes glittered even more brightly than he had ever seen them before.

"This…" Her voice was soft, breathless, her eyes glistening with tears, her lips curved into an unwaveringly bright smile. "This is a start, isn't it?"

A heartbeat, two heartbeats, and then three, before he took her hand, his fingers covering hers, the light burning in his eyes full of fierce determination. His squeeze was gentle, and when he leaned down to kiss her again, he said:

"This is _our_ start."

And that was all the reassurance she needed.

.

.

.

**tbc.**

* * *

**a/n:** Just one more to go now. I hope you enjoyed this chapter!


	30. xxx

**a/n:** Hello everyone! This chapter is loads lighter compared to last chapter and thus may not have the same emotional effect. However, it should wrap up every other issue not covered last chapter. With that said, please do enjoy. :)

* * *

**epilogue.**

(five months later)

.

.

.

On a particularly sunny Friday morning, about two minutes before his alarm clock rang for seven AM, Uchiha Sasuke awoke to find an empty bed and his favourite blue shirt missing.

Now, contrary to popular belief, this was not a rare occurrence. After all, Sasuke was more of a morning person and his silver alarm clock served more as a decoration rather than anything else. That the bed was empty, the sheets unmade, and his favourite shirt was missing weren't exactly unheard of, either. When Sakura moved in with him to his large but immaculate apartment several months back, he discovered that she was even more of an early riser than he was.

Tossing his covers away, Sasuke shifted to his feet and made his way to the bathroom to freshen up.

Sakura was in the kitchen when he was finished, the smell of food confirming his suspicions before he even saw her. Since a collection of recipes from Honoka arrived about a week ago, the pink-haired woman had been spending almost an hour in the kitchen every morning, preparing this or cooking that. Unsurprisingly, her food never failed to turn out abysmally bland if not a little burnt, though he had to admit he secretly enjoyed seeing her work around in his—_their_, he corrected himself—kitchen.

"Morning."

At his quiet greeting, Sakura jumped, almost dropping the spatula into the frying pan in front of her. She turned around, her hand on her hip as green eyes narrowed at him. "Sasuke! You surprised me!"

"You're wearing my shirt."

Indeed she was. In fact, he was quite certain that his shirt was the _only_ thing she was wearing, and underneath it… _well_.

"I noticed." She shrugged. "What? It's comfortable."

Sasuke poured a glass of water for himself. "What are you cooking?"

"Salmon fried rice."

Taking several generous sips, he set down the glass on the counter and raised his eyebrows. "Aren't you cooking a lot for breakfast?"

"I'm planning to give Grandfather some to try," Sakura answered, energetically using her spatula to wade through the rice, "Just to make sure it tastes the way Mum's does."

"Really?" Sasuke responded in mock earnestness, fighting the urge to tease her. Honoka was a great cook, but it was clear to him that Sakura had inherited her non-existent culinary skills from her father. The last time he was invited to eat at the Haruno's, Manabe had mistook sugar for salt in the worst way possible—their spicy Szechuan beef and eggplant had turned out to be unnaturally, almost sickeningly sweet. Of course, he made it through the meal and successfully won over her parents' hearts. Again.

The pink-haired woman turned to him long enough to send him another withering glare, though the corners of her lips were twitching suspiciously. "Insult me once more and there's no breakfast for you, Sasuke."

Reaching forward to circle his arms around her waist, he smirked and dropped a lazy kiss on the curve of her shoulder. "The canteen in my office has enough food to last me a week, I'm sure."

Sakura scoffed. "The canteen in your office has enough food to last you a whole _month_."

"That they do," he agreed mildly, releasing her to let her do her job.

She lifted the frying pan off the stove and began transferring the rice onto two plates and a large lunchbox, the last one obviously for her grandfather. As he poured himself another cup of water, she disposed of the frying pan in the sink and handed him his share of fried rice before they both sat down in the dining room.

"It's my last day at the Miyazawa's," she said, scooping a spoonful of rice, "So I just thought I should give my thanks to him, you know. I mean, I've started calling him Grandfather several months back and he was so happy, my mom was so happy… it's nice." she shrugged, "_He's_ pretty nice, actually."

Sasuke only nodded, knowing full well the truth of Sakura's words. When they got together almost half a year ago, the response Akihito gave had been an almost instant compliance—which, to Sasuke's trained-for-business ears, sounded suspiciously like an approval or even an encouragement. Truth be told, it was rather strange seeing Akihito interact with Sakura the way a grandfather would with his granddaughter in the walls of the Miyazawa's head office, but that had answered all of Sasuke's questions. Akihito really _did_ care for Sakura, and that was enough for him.

The conversation shifted to more casual topics as they finished their meals: how her job search was going (fine, she had an interview to go to Wednesday next week), the new Italian restaurant downtown she tried with Tenten on Tuesday (the meatballs were delicious but very, very calorie-laden), and that her parents were staying in the city tonight just in case there was something that needed to be done.

At the last one, Sasuke choked, barely hiding the surprise in his eyes. "They said that to you?" he demanded, "When?"

"Last night," Sakura answered, confusion creasing her brows. "It's weird, actually. Otou-san took a day off today, and he _never _does that unless something big is happening, you know how much of a hard worker he is! And I can't believe Okaa-san agrees, too!" she forked a piece of tender salmon, "What do you think, Sasuke?"

_Crap._

"Perhaps they just want a vacation," he answered as impassively as he could, grabbing the glass of apple juice on the coaster. "Or perhaps they just want to see you."

"Hmm..." She chewed thoughtfully. "I don't know. Maybe. You know, Okaa-san is thinking of coming back to work. To help Ojii-sama now that he's actually making serious retirement plans."

Sasuke couldn't help but raise his eyebrows at that. "Really?" he asked. Honoka, no matter how intelligent and put-together she seemed to be, didn't strike him as the office type. Furthermore, it had been _years_ since she last touched anything remotely business-related; it would be quite something to see her there.

"Yeah, but Grandfather is against it, so I don't think she's going to do it."

"Makes sense."

Sakura looked doubtful. "You think so?"

He gave her a look. "I think it's safe to say that your grandfather spoils your mother, Sakura. I don't think he realises it, but he does."

Her lips curved into a smile as green eyes softened, though the worry in her eyes didn't cease. "That's true. I just hope that there won't be any problem this time. I mean, they don't usually come to the city on Fridays…"

Pushing the slight guilt he felt to the pit of his stomach, Sasuke wiped his mouth with a paper napkin. "It'll be fine."

Sakura grinned at him. "If you say so."

Reaching across the table to squeeze her hand, he brushed his thumb across her knuckles and smirked. "I do say so."

xx

"Ah, Sakura, Sasuke-san—so glad to see you."

A few months ago, Sasuke would've thought that receiving a greeting from Akihito so early in the morning was impossible. Today, it had become such a wonted routine that he didn't think much of it anymore.

"Akihito-san."

Of course, that didn't mean that they discarded all means of formality.

"I brought you lunch, Grandfather," Sakura piped up from beside him, setting down the lunchbox on the table, "Salmon fried rice. With eggs, just as you like it."

"I look forward to tasting it," Akihito said, the expression on his face somber although Sasuke knew he was pleased. The CEO of the Miyazawa's nodded thoughtfully at them from behind his desk for several quiet moments, before he finally retrieved a file from the shelves and handed it to his granddaughter, returning all businesslike all of a sudden. "That details the finances for our joint project with the Uchiha's, Sakura. Go over it and tell me what you think," he said, lifting his gaze to meet hers, "That will be your last assignment in this company."

A brilliant smile spread on Sakura's lips as she put the document inside her bag. "Will do!"

"Good." He nodded again, turning towards Sasuke this time. "Ah, Sasuke-san. It has been quite some time since we saw each other. How are you doing?"

"We're making fine progress," Sasuke answered with practiced calm, though all he wanted to do was raise his eyebrows. It was true that they didn't see each other a lot, but talking business in front of Sakura wasn't going to help his… _case_, though Naruto insisted that he didn't need to worry about anything. True enough, Sakura was already looking confused—he'd better up his game and make this quick. "Actually, we have several plans for growth and expansion outside of Japan."

Akihito chuckled. "Not bad, not bad."

Feeling more than compelled to return the interest, Sasuke asked, "And yourself?"

The CEO leaned forward on his chair and rested his elbows on the table, peering at the two. "I'm retiring soon," he said, "although you probably have heard that from Sakura. I can't imagine it's a surprise, either. I didn't mean your company, however—I meant you. How are _you_ doing? What are _your_ plans for the future?"

Willing herself to stay as inconspicuously quiet as possible, Sakura watched the banter in front of her as Sasuke detailed to Akihito about his plans—which, quite predictably, involved the Uchiha's. The conversation was easy, if not slightly odd. Akihito had always been interested in her relationship with Sasuke—enough to give her meaningful looks that she didn't really understand every time she left the office with the Uchiha, but not enough to straightforwardly ask her questions—but she never imagined he'd be interviewing him one morning, out of the blue. Furrowing her brows, she tried to think of the reasons why Akihito suddenly seemed so intent on getting to know Sasuke.

It was Sasuke's fingers reaching for her own that finally broke her train of thought, for he suddenly squeezed her hand. "Of course," he was saying, the smirk on his face suspiciously triumphant, "One day, I'd like to ask for your granddaughter's hand in marriage, too."

The declaration, delivered in a casual, almost teasing manner, made her eyes widen. The surprise on her face so palpable, she squeaked, fighting the colour threatening to spill on her cheeks.

"Ah." Akihito raised his eyebrows at her reaction. "You haven't discussed this with her, I assume?"

Sasuke shrugged and turned sideways to look at her, obsidian eyes gleaming in something playful, something teasing as he asked, sounding serious. "We can shop for rings tonight, if you want?"

Sakura's almost heroic effort to hide her blush instantly failed and she hit her shoulder. "Sasuke!"

"What?"

"'What'?" she choked, eyes widening, "That's all you're going to say? '_What_'? You just—I just—_what_?"

Amusement tugged at the corners of his lips, and he smirked. "Don't look so surprised."

Green eyes bulged even more, "Don't look so _surprised_—!"

"A_hem_."

An awkward, clearly faked cough from Akihito interrupted Sakura and her cheeks immediately _flamed, _bright red painting her light-coloured skin as she remembered where they were. Glaring at Sasuke, she raised both of her hands and covered her face meekly, her chest heaving with every deep breath she took.

"Sakura, there's a document I want you to bring to me. It's last year's tax report, there's something I want to check," Akihito said, the placid tone he had adapted telling Sakura that he was going to pretend what just happened between her and Sasuke didn't happen, "It's in the safe in your office. You know the key."

"Okay," she nodded, peering at him from behind her fingers, "I'll get it to you immediately."

"As soon as Sasuke leaves," the CEO pressed on. "First thing as soon as you get back to your office."

The pink-haired woman cleared her throat, removing her hands from her face, and in the most professional tone she could muster, said, "Of course."

He nodded at them and returned to his work. Knowing that this was a window of opportunity to escape unscathed, Sakura grabbed Sasuke's hand and dragged him out of Akihito's office. Together they made their way to her smaller one at the end of the hallway.

"You shouldn't have done that!" she swatted his shoulder when they entered an empty hallway. Rushing so she was at least three steps in front of him, she exclaimed, "You could've at least _informed_ me if you—if you were going to—!"

"If I was going to propose?" Sasuke asked, the quiet laughter evident in both his eyes and the baritone of his voice.

Sakura threw up her hands, "Well, _yes_!"

"You couldn't have not expected it," he raised his eyebrows and fixed her with an earnest look. "Right?"

"Well…" she stopped walking so suddenly that he almost bumped into her. "I know, I suppose," she shrugged, chewing on her lip for a moment before she returned his gaze, amusement dancing in bright green eyes as her lips curled, "But still, I _like_ to be surprised."

"And surprise you I will," Sasuke replied, reaching for her hand. His lips descended to her knuckles, just above her ring finger, the kiss so featherlight soft and _innocent_ that she blushed once more.

"Are you serious?" she asked, staring at his blue-checkered tie, "Are we really going to get married?"

Sasuke straightened up though he did not let go of her hand. "It depends."

She raised her eyes to meet his, "On?"

"Whether or not you're going to say yes when I ask."

His answer made her roll her eyes. "Oh, seriously, Sasuke."

"Well…" He gave her fingers a gentle squeeze. "For once I'd like to do it the normal way."

He had a point, she realised as she let him pull her further down the hall. Their relationship hadn't started 'the normal way' as he so eloquently put it—in fact, almost everything about it was backwards if not upside down. Perhaps it was time for some degree of normalcy, no matter what it was about.

"Okay," she agreed, a smile spreading on her lips as they stopped in front of her office, "We can do it the normal way if you want to. I'll see you later?"

"I'll see you later," Sasuke confirmed. He let go of her hand and smirked. "Wear something nice tonight. Preferably the dress you wear to Tenten cousin's wedding."

The soft smile widened into an almost teasing, feline grin. "I can't, I forgot to take it to the tailor to fix after you tore it off me. The rip was rather bad I couldn't fix it myself," she said. "But I'll wear something equally nice, if not nicer."

When Sasuke returned her grin with a half-smirk and nodded in response, she entered the office and closed the door behind her. Putting down her handbag on her chair, she opened the blinds, sighing contentedly when sunlight began to pour into the room. Then she strutted to the safe at the corner of her office and began inputting the combination, and then opened the door, expecting to see thick folders, the very same ones she spent all day rearranging yesterday so her replacement would have an easier time adjusting, but finding that it was empty—except not quite.

Sitting right in the middle of the safe was a small, opened box, a ring staring back at her, tiny, glittering diamonds forming a line that followed around the circle. A note was slid under the box.

With shaky hands, she held her breath and reached out for it.

_Sakura,_

_Meet me outside._

—_Sasuke_

xx

Standing outside the elevator doors, Sasuke paced around, berating himself for being so jittery about it. This was _Sakura_, for goodness' sake, he shouldn't have any reason to act like… like a high school freshman asking a girl on a date for the first time! He had faced countless business partners, many of which were more intimidating and sinister than her, but he could have sworn that he had never—_never_—been so nervous before.

But then again, this was probably _the_ most important thing he had ever done in his life.

"Sasuke!"

Sakura appeared in front of him, the box in her right hand, the note in her other hand. She stopped when they were about five feet away.

"Oh my god," was all she said.

Immediately, Sasuke stopped pacing around. "Well?" he asked. She was as red as a tomato, and by the heat _he_ was feeling himself, he had a sneaking suspicion that he wasn't entirely cool, either. "Did I surprise you?"

"Oh my god," she repeated, taking a step forward. "Oh my god. Yes, you did. I thought you were going to—I never thought—is that why my parents are in the city? Was _Grandfather_ in this?"

"Yes, and yes," he replied, smirking as his onyx eyes gleamed, amusement flitting in their irises, "Karin, too. I didn't know the key to that safe and she had to open it for me."

She raised her eyebrows.

Sasuke sighed, and then admitted, "And Suigetsu. He wouldn't let Karin be alone with me."

A few moments of silence passed by when Sakura's gaze fell upon the ring, the diamond glittering brightly under the lighting of the room. Her jaw slackened and she parted her lips, but no sound came out as she stared at it, completely speechless.

"Sakura…" His eyes softened as this time, _he_ took the step forward. Taking both the box and the note out of her hands, he pocketed the former and lifted her chin so he could look at her, their gazes locked. "I don't have a speech prepared, and I'm not going down on one knee."

When she didn't immediately deck him, he continued.

"I will never be as romantic as Sai, and I might never understand you the way Tenten does," he said quietly, "I did a lot of bad things, and… I might still do a lot of bad things in the future."

A nervous chuckled escaped her lips, but she smiled.

"And you… you like to steal my favourite shirt. You fill the fridge with three buckets of ice cream that there's no more place for the meat. You can't function without coffee, and your food tastes so abysmally _bland, _sometimes I think there's something wrong with your taste buds," he took a deep breath when her eyes only glittered, willing him to continue. "But… but you keep me on my toes," he added with difficulty, clearly uncomfortable with what he was intent on saying, "You keep me sane. You make me happy."

Sasuke looked downright embarrassed and Sakura bit on her lip, trying to suppress her laughter.

"We'll quarrel in the future, and we'll probably disagree more than we agree, but…" he reached for her hand and lifted it up, "But I'm willing to try. And there is nothing more," she choked, and he smiled briefly before continuing, "There is nothing more I want in this world than to have you by my side. To see you walk down that aisle. To wake up with my favourite shirt missing because you're wearing it. So…"

His smile widened as he squeezed her hand.

"Marry me, Haruno Sakura."

Her breath hitched as she looked at him and suddenly, a teardrop rolled down her cheek as her pink lips curled into a brilliant smile.

"Are you sure you want to eat my 'abysmally bland' food for the rest of your life?" she asked tentatively, her voice shaky.

His face turned serious. "I would confess my hope that you'll get better in time," he said, "but just in case you don't, there's always takeout."

Her eyes glistened with unshed tears. "We have to start collecting menus."

"I can live with that."

Her smile was shy, her cheeks dusted a lovely shade of red. "We probably have to buy a bigger fridge, too, since I'm not surrendering my ice cream."

He nodded. "Frozen vegetables don't taste that good anyway."

"I…" she looked at him through long lashes, "I'm not changing my coffee habits."

"I'm not asking you to."

Sakura studied him for a long while, and then her face lit up so brilliantly that his eyes softened. "Well then," she took a deep breath and held out her hand to him, "Since you want it to be normal, I think this is the part where you... do your thing."

Sasuke smirked triumphantly and slid the ring onto her finger. Her gaze fell upon it and she smiled. "This will be the part where I gasp because it's so amazing," she told him, and then gave a mock gasp, admiring it before she turned to him, green eyes softening, "And this, Uchiha Sasuke, will be the part where you kiss me—so I know this is _real_."

He cradled her face in his hands and dropped a kiss on her jaw. "Oh, it's real," he whispered, lips brushing the corner of her mouth before he finally kissed her, voice low and husky that it made her shiver, "It's very, very _real_."

And for that single, breathtaking moment, the world was theirs alone.

.

.

.

**end.**

.

.

.

_I know I misbehaved and you made your mistakes  
__And we both still got room left to grow  
__And though love sometimes hurts, I shall put you first  
__And we'll make this thing work__  
_

**BAD BEHAVIOR**

—

**a/n: **We're done, baby—we're _done_.

This story… while you can say it was born out of boredom, it was born more out of reading too many AU fics and finding none that I _really_ like. There are stories of personal assistant!Sakura, too-cheerful!Sakura , super-emo!Sasuke or playboy!Sasuke, with plots of arranged marriages (my personal favourite in the list of cliches :P), master-servant relationships, one-night-stands which lead to accidental pregnancies, new students, fake-dating-turned-real-love… All of them are unique in their own way, and I won't lie, I have enjoyed (and written, and _secretly_ wanted to write) many of them myself. The SasuSaku fandom is diverse and I can only hope it'll continue to be so in the future.

As of now, I have to admit that **I have no plans for a sequel**. There is, however, a NejiTen sidefic (titled "like paper dolls and little notes") that covers the length of time before this epilogue and a little bit after, and there _might_ be one for Ino coming up. _If_ there are to be a SasuSaku sequel, it'll only be a short one. Long story short: no promises, so please don't expect anything.

Anyway, thank you for everything! Thank you _so_ much. You people really do spoil me sometimes, and I just, unf, I love you all. (:


End file.
